Paradigm Shift
by AXQA
Summary: What if Subaru never bumped into Seishirou at that train station one fine day in 1990 and never had his heart broken? How would the two of them resolve their bet when they meet in 1999 and would fate be content to allow it?
1. The Tightening Tangle of Fate

Disclaimer: All X and Tokyo Babylon characters set within this story are the property of CLAMP. We do not have any claims on them, much as though we might like to have. 

Summary: What if Subaru never bumped into Seishirou at that train station one fine day in 1990 and never had his heart broken? How would the two of them resolve their bet when they meet in 1999 and would fate be content to allow it? This is our AU story.

PROLOGUE

There is such a thing as fate. Fate weaves people under its spell, and struggle though they might, humans are doomed to follow the course laid for them. 

Sometimes, though, small decisions change the course of a person's life. On a certain day after Sumeragi Subaru had just moved to Tokyo, he decided to take a cab, rather than a subway. This prevented him from meeting the kind veterinarian Sakurazuka Seishirou, and the whole tower of cards known as destiny wobbled under the repercussions. Subaru had been marked as a child, and according to destiny, he and Seishirou should have entered the Final Day as the bitterest of enemies, due to a bet that Subaru couldn't win. But... they didn't meet to act out that course of fate.

This simply would not do. The heavens had plans for the two opposing stars. Their meeting was inevitable... but because of fortune's misstep, would take eight years for that to happen- in the year 1998, just before a young man named Shiro Kamui came to the city, to seek his own destiny....

The Writing Team of AXQA presents: **Paradigm Shift**

CHAPTER ONE - The Tightening Tangle of Fate

__

Sometime in October 1998, in the district of Shinjuku...   
  
The sound of heavy panting was loud as a young man ran full tilt along the side of the road. Sparing only a quick glance at the traffic, he made a sudden dash across, narrowly avoiding a braking car. If anyone was looking carefully at him, they'd have thought he was flying. His feet moved so swiftly that they appeared to be lifting straight off the ground, but that would have been impossible. 

Perhaps not, for Sumeragi Subaru, 13th clan head of the Sumeragi, very little was impossible. At that moment, in a situation of life or death, he was not going to give up without exerting every one of his formidable abilities needed to save a life.   
  
_There!_

A quick glance showed him that he had arrived at his destination. Quickly he barreled through the glass doors, startling the receptionist just inside the room.   
  
"Please, I need help!" Subaru exclaimed, holding the bundle tightly.

The young man gave the woman credit for her quick thinking because she only took a moment to assess the situation. "Follow me," she commanded as she led him through a paneled door.

A tall man dressed in a white lab coat swiveled around to look at Subaru as he skittered to a stop before him. 

Subaru lifted his emerald green eyes to meet a pair of kind amber ones, set behind a pair of glasses. "Please, please, you have to help him," Subaru pleaded as he thrust the little bloody bundle at the doctor. 

A small smile lifted the doctor's lips, comforting the younger man. The vet took the burden from the petitioner, settling it carefully on an operating table. "Don't worry," he said, patting Subaru's hand reassuringly.   
  
The touch sent a pleasant shiver up Subaru's spine. He blushed, but didn't know why he was reacting like this.   
  
"Will you be needing me, sensei?" the receptionist asked.   
  
"Eh? No, I think I shall be all right; but would you like to stay and help?" he asked, addressing the question to Subaru.   
  
Subaru nodded gratefully. "Yes."   
  
As the veterinarian carefully examined the injured puppy, Subaru stole shy glances at him. His first impression of the man had been of startled recognition. It was as if he knew him from somewhere before. Subaru's gaze lingered over the gentle way he stroked the puppy lying whimpering in pain on the table and wondered how the touch felt. 

He blushed slightly, knowing his sister would mercilessly tease him if she ever knew what he'd been thinking. Luckily for him, out of all the powers the Sumeragi twins possessed, the telepathy that twins were famed for was not among their skills. "Thank you for helping on such short notice, sensei," he said, bowing slightly. "I'm sure you were ready to go home." 

The doctor smiled at him. "It's fine... I'd never turn any creature in need away," he said. Something about the way his eyes focused on Subaru, instead of the puppy, made the innuendo clear.   
  
Subaru felt his infamous blush crawl up his cheeks, and fought to suppress it. "Still, I appreciate it," he said, dropping his eyes to the puppy. "I- I'm sorry.... I never introduced myself. Sumeragi Subaru desu," he said, bowing slightly, even as the vet dealt expertly with the puppy's cuts.   
  
"Sakurazuka Seishirou," the vet said, smiling. Subaru stiffened slightly, but the vet only laughed. "I see that the Sumeragi recognizes my family name," he said easily. "Can you hand me that gauze over there?" he asked, nodding his head towards the other table.   
  
Subaru backed up slowly, not daring to take his eyes off the other man. He fumbled around without looking for the gauze, and accidentally nicked his left wrist, on the skin just above his glove, with a scalpel. "Ow!" he yelped in pain, but his eyes remained focused. Pain was something he'd learned to ignore in his years as the Sumeragi Clan's foremost onmyouji.   
  
Suddenly, Seishirou took Subaru's hand in his. "Here, let me take a look at that. It wouldn't do for that to get infected," the veterinarian said. The antiseptic that he dabbed over the cut was cool and stung a little. "Are you all right?" he asked in response to the little intake of breath that Subaru made.   
  
"Oh, I'm... I'm fine." Subaru stammered, confused over the intimate way Seishirou was holding onto him.   
  
The older man nodded and turned back to the puppy. It wasn't very seriously injured; its leg had been broken and needed to be set. There were also little cuts and bruises all over it. "What happened to him?" the vet asked.   
  
"I found some boys hurting him and took him away from them. I just don't know how some children can be so cruel..." Subaru's voice trailed off in distress.   
  
"People are cruel, sometimes... but there are also the kind ones... there's balance in the world. Isn't that the philosophy of your art?" the vet asked.   
  
"But... to see such cruelty in children," Subaru whispered softly. He looked at the dog wistfully, and saw that it seemed to be relaxing under the vet's gentle ministrations.   
  
The older man turned around, and before Subaru could react, he was next to him. Subaru felt Seishirou's presence in every pore of his being, and wondered why they seemed so attuned to each other. It felt like meeting the other half of himself. "I don't have to guess hard which kind of person you are, Subaru-san," Seishirou said, raising a hand to cup his chin. "When I finish here, would you join me for dinner?"   
  
Subaru's eyes were wide. "No... no... I shouldn't disturb you any more. I'm sure you must be busy..." He protested, though something inside him desperately wanted to accept.   
  
"Ah, I do so hate eating alone. But if you simply cannot bear to be in my company..." Seishirou turned sad eyes on Subaru.

"Oh, no, that's not it at all. I like being in your company," Subaru said, then clapped a hand over his mouth as he realized what he had just been maneuvered into saying.   
  
Seishirou perked up visibly at that. "Oh, good, then you'll come with me. I know just the place. I think you must be hungry, too!" Seishirou cocked his head in the direction of Subaru's middle, as his stomach gave a small growl in reminder that he had not had anything to eat today.   
  
"Um..." Subaru said, and his blush returned full-force. "Just let me call my sister and let her know I won't be around, in case she comes looking for me."   
  
Seishirou looked at him. "You have a sister?" he asked curiously, as he started to straighten the room.   
  
"My twin. We lived together until we were eighteen, but she finally moved out," Subaru said, mentally adding, 'and it saved my sanity.' Even though his clothing was still designed by her, he'd managed to tone down his wardrobe... a little, a very little. He still stood out like a sore thumb in traditional Tokyo.   
  
Today he had selected one of Hokuto's seasonal outfits, which she designed around Halloween. While the holiday made him uneasy (and the spirits even MORE uneasy) Hokuto always had a blast with it, since it gave her an excuse to get out rightly bizarre.   
  
Subaru was dressed primarily in black velvet, which wouldn't have been so bad if she hadn't accented it with neon orange satin. Still, it was better than SOME of what Hokuto had delivered in her last shipment, so he'd decided on it. Sometimes he thought she deliberately left him clothes she knew he wasn't going to wear to make him wear the ones she wanted him to. His pants were low hip huggers and fitted to his waist, flaring out into wide velvety legs that hung to the floor, so long that he would have tripped on them if he hadn't had experience with wilder clothes. His shirt was made of two layers of black: a thin lace that mimicked cobwebs and a fitted vest that started at his ribcage. On his head, (added comma) he wore his black hat... and had that been all, it would have been fine... but then Hokuto had added the orange. (… Now I want to draw that outfit. ^_^v)  
  
The orange hatband was fine, and the orange belt was acceptable as well. He supposed he could even tolerate the orange cross-shaped choker that drew attention to his pale throat... but the long, draping orange cloth she had attached to each of his shoulders, and again at his wrists made him feel decidedly uneasily. Whenever Subaru shifted an arm, he had a yard of fabric trailing it. It drew much more attention than he was comfortable with- like most of his sister's creations. 

"Erm, Sakurazuka-san, can I come back to visit the puppy?" Subaru asked politely.   
  
"Please call me Seishirou. Of course you may come back. You can come visit me anytime, Subaru-kun," the older man said.   
  
Subaru rather liked being addressed in that familiar way, though he was a little embarrassed by it. He was after all a grown man.   
  
"You really like animals that much?" Seishirou was asking him as he finished cleaning up after the surgery.   
  
"Oh, yes. I love animals," Subaru gushed in enthusiasm. "I wanted to be an animal doctor too at one time. I even went to university to study biology and zoology, but..." Subaru paused at the reminder of the sacrifice that his duty had required of him.   
  
"But?" Seishirou prompted.   
  
"Well, I have this rather full time job. I'm an onmyouji," Subaru confessed.   
  
"Yes, I know. You're rather famous, you know." Seishirou replied.   
  
"I... I am?" Subaru stuttered in confusion. "You're a Sakurazuka..."   
  
"Yes, I am. But I'm also only a lowly veterinarian. Does that bother you?"   
  
"No!" Subaru said fiercely without thinking. " I mean... well, my grandmother would probably have a fit if she knew I was talking to a Sakurazuka...."   
  
Seishirou smiled gently and picked up the puppy. "I have a small interest in family history. I can't honestly blame her," he admitted. "But you can't judge us all for the action of our ancestors..."   
  
"Or relatives..." Subaru whispered, seeming sorrowful as his eyes dropped to his gloved hands for an instant.   
  
"Huh? Did you say something?"   
  
"No-no!"   
  
"Well, I'm going to put this fellow to bed..." Seishirou said. "Would you like to come?" He offered.   
  
Subaru nodded enthusiastically. He followed Seishirou to the back room. He couldn't resist cooing a little at the adorable cats and dogs looking back at him in their cages. Suddenly a hand was wrapped around his waist.   
  
"Are you ready to leave Subaru-kun?" Seishirou was smiling an indulgent smile at him. "You can come back and visit and play with these animals anytime you like." 

The promise of the treat was enough to make Subaru forget his close proximity to the other man. He couldn't resist smiling delightedly back at him.   
  
"I'd love that! Sometimes I wish I could keep a pet... but I'm seldom home long enough to take good care of it, and I don't think it'd be fair..."   
  
Seishirou smiled. "Many people would take a pet anyway, and let the animal be lonely."   
  
Subaru stuck his finger into the cage of a particularly active kitten. "How could I?" he asked softly. "I'd know how sad they were whenever I was around them, and I'd never know any joy from being close..."   
  
"That's an excellent attitude to have! All pet owners need to be responsible," Seishirou said cheerfully.   
  
As Subaru walked alongside Seishirou, he contemplated the man. Subaru couldn't get over how kind and gentle the veterinarian was. He couldn't believe he could be linked to the Sakurazuka clan. But then he remembered his grandmother had said that not everyone named Sakurazuka was involved in the Sakurazukamori group of assassins. In fact, the Sakurazukamori was only one man, though he was the mortal enemy to the Sumeragi.   
  
No, Seishirou-san was simply unfortunate in being a born a Sakurazuka and he, Subaru, would not shun him simply for it.   
  
After being seated at the small cafe, Subaru looked around, remembering he was supposed to call his sister. He excused himself and went to the pay phone by the side of the wall after asking Seishirou to order something for him.   
  
"WHERE ARE YOU?" The particularly strident tones of Hokuto-chan filled his ear.   
  
Subaru held the receiver a little away before speaking into it. "Maa maa, Hokuto-chan, please lower your voice. I'm... I'm having dinner out today."   
  
The slight stutter alerted Hokuto to Subaru's effort to hide something from her. "Is there someone with you?" She demanded perceptively.   
  
Subaru sighed. His sister knew him all too well. "Yes, Hokuto-chan. But don't ask me to tell you on the phone. I'll tell you all about him when I get back, I promise."   
  
"HIM???"   
  
Subaru could see the wheels turning around Hokuto's head. "It's just a friend."   
  
"I see, you have to bring him around to your apartment after dinner. I want to meet him. I'll be waiting for you there Subaru. PROMISE?"   
  
Subaru found himself bowing in agreement, just like he always did when talking to someone on the phone, despite knowing full well the other side could not possibly see him. "Hai, hai, I promise." 

Hanging up, he turned back to see Seishirou staring at him with an amused smile on his face. A blush flooded his cheeks again. Subaru wondered if this hot and flustered feeling whenever he saw Seishirou looking at him was going to be a familiar sensation in his future.  
  
That was, assuming Seishirou would keep seeing him. Subaru was drawn to him... but most people, while fascinated by the onmyouji's art, were unable to stay in their orbit.   
  
They moved through a different world than normal people, and dealt with situations that were downright dangerous. His thoughts skittered to an abrupt halt. With 1999 approaching... 

Subaru shook his head mentally, forcing his grandmother's warnings to the back of his mind. He had to live, because that was what he stood for. He stood for life. "Sorry about that, Seishirou-san," he said when he returned to their table. "My sister..." he said, and rolled his eyes slightly.   
  
"She sounds quite interesting. Does she look anything like you?"   
  
Subaru blushed. "Even though we're fraternal twins, when we were younger, people couldn't tell us apart. That is... until... well, until it became clear who was the boy and who was the girl. Still, many people say it's looking at male and female versions of the same person."   
  
Seishirou smiled slightly, and took Subaru's hand in his own. "Then she must be one of the most beautiful women in Tokyo."   
  
Subaru didn't quite know how to take that comment. On the one hand, it would seem awfully rude not to agree, since he did think Hokuto was very special. But on the other hand, he knew Seishirou wasn't really complimenting his sister. He was old enough to know better, though he wasn't old enough to know how to deal with someone hitting on him. So he did the only thing he always did: blush beetroot red.   
  
"Ah.. ah... I suppose..." he stammered.   
  
Seishirou laughed lightly. "I think I should like to meet her, since I see she's very special to you."   
  
Subaru nodded. "She'll be at my apartment... she expressed a rather strong desire in meeting you..."   
  
Seishirou's eyes seemed to sparkle with amusement. "She gave you your marching orders? Aren't you the Head of your Clan?"   
  
Subaru gave a mock shudder. "When it comes to magic, yes. When it comes to my own life... well, I have my grandmother and Hokuto and whatever other female relative chooses to poke her nose in..."   
  
The rest of the meal passed with incredible speed for Subaru. Seishirou kept him entertained with tales of the antics at his animal clinic. He couldn't remember a time when he had enjoyed himself more. It was nice to think about mundane things rather than worrying about his magic or work.   
  
After the meal, Subaru found himself leading the way back to his apartment. "Here it is," he said. Before he could say anything further, his front door flung open.   
  
"Su-Ba-Ru!" A loud voice declared as a very pretty young woman practically hurtled out.   
  
Subaru caught the missile that resolved itself into his sister with the ease born of years of practice. She smiled up at him mischievously, though, and his stomach felt like it had gained a lump of lead. Hokuto was Up To Something.   
  
"Hello!" she said, turning around to get a look at the visitor for a second. Her eyes scanned Seishirou from the feet to his head, and her grin widened. Before either man could stop her, she threw herself into his arms and planted a kiss firmly on his lips. "I'm Sumeragi Hokuto- call me Hokuto-chan!"   
  
"Ho-Hokuto!" Subaru stammered, staring at his sister as he got a good look at her outfit.   
  
She was dressed as Cupid. She wore knee-high white boots, a mini-skirt and halter top with tiny wings attached to the back; the entire thing was far too cool for the season, but she didn't seem bothered. She had accessorized with gold-heart jewelry and a belt made of heart-links... but the kicker was the small golden bow and arrows she had strapped to her right hip.   
  
After seeing her kiss the man he had just spent one of the best dinners of his life with, combined with her clothing choice, Subaru wished that he could banish her to the South Pole. But something inside Subaru was relieved when he saw that Seishirou didn't appear to be particularly affected by Hokuto's kiss.   
  
"Ah, dear lady, I don't think we've been properly introduced. I am Sakurazuka Seishirou, a humble veterinarian," Seishirou said with an amused and indulgent smile.   
  
A quick narrowing of her eyes was all the reaction that Hokuto made at hearing the name. She tilted her head at Subaru for a quick look at him before smiling broadly, "So you're the first person who's ever managed to get my brother to go on a dinner date with!"   
  
Subaru flushed with embarrassment at her candor. "Hokuto-chan!" he exclaimed. Then remembering his manners he said, "Seishirou-san, would you like to come inside?"   
  
"It would be my pleasure, Subaru-kun."   
*   
_And that was the beginning of the battle for the fate of the world, even though Sumeragi Subaru wouldn't know it for many months._   
*   
Sakurazuka Seishirou didn't manage to get away from the twins until around one a.m., but that was more then acceptable. His prey, after over a decade and a half, had walked right into his office. Just the other day he had been thinking he'd been falling into the most dreadful routine, and had been racking his brain to come up with a diversion.   
  
He remembered the bet he had laid with the young child, of course, but it had always been something to do later. He hadn't realized when he made it that he and the Sumeragi were both destined to fight for the end of the world. Destiny had a strange way of diverting things to its whims, and he had made the decision years ago to let the bet lie, and merely take the Sumeragi on as his opposite, come the Final Day.   
  
After all, they were already opposing clans; it was quite natural that they be rivals.   
  
But this was just too perfect. Subaru had walked right into his hands, and he was already infatuated with him. It was a delicious thought he could date Subaru, bed him... and then betray him, all in time for the End of the World. Watching the pale face and sweet smile crushed by betrayal... would be another form of victory, and perhaps a more enjoyable one. He rarely got to play with his kills, and few of them were as fascinating as Subaru.   
  
How could anyone be twenty-four years old and be so blasted innocent? Seishirou wanted to know. The Sumeragi was the head of his clan, but he still stuttered and blushed like a shy schoolboy. If it wasn't for the almost visible aura of power and the underlying sorrow that flashed occasionally in Subaru's fascinating green eyes, Seishirou would have just killed him outright. Still, the contradictions Subaru had interested Seishirou, and he decided that playing by the terms of the bet wasn't going to be a bad idea.

~~~~~

Notes: All of Subaru's and Hokuto clothes were designed by Aishuu who turned out to have a rather fiendish imagination as far as Xandra is concerned. But since Xandra turned up an absolute blank on how to dress the twins, she's not complaining.

Aishuu: I can't help it if I think the best thing Hokuto ever did was dress up her brother! But I was going for a subtly sexy look on Subaru, who, at 24, is just as clueless as he was at 16.... Since he never met Seishirou.

Up Next: Tokyo Babylon springs into full play, with Seishirou and Subaru meeting for lunch, and Subaru going ghost-hunting...


	2. Shadows of the Sakurazukamori

The Writing Team of AXQA presents: **Paradigm Shift**

Disclaimer: All X and Tokyo Babylon characters set within this story are the property of CLAMP. We do not have any claims on them, much as though we might like to have. 

Chapter 2: Shadows of the Sakurazukamori

"Hello, can I take a look at the puppy that I brought in the other day?" 

The receptionist at the Sakurazuka Clinic looked up to see a pair of anxious green eyes directed at her. There was no way she had forgotten this beautiful young man who had made such a strong impression on her just a few days ago. Besides, Sakurazuka-sensei had left specific instructions that this young man should be shown in to see him immediately if he came to visit. Sakurazuka-sensei was a good employer, but something about him made his receptionist very unwilling to cross him. Not that she would have refused the man in front of her; he was so handsome.

She quickly got up from behind her desk and bowed, saying, "Of course, please go right into the consultation room. I'll tell Sakurazuka-sensei that you're here."

"Oh, no, you don't have to disturb him if he's busy," the shy young man replied. "I can wait."

The receptionist merely smiled and waved him into the back room, buzzing a button to alert her employer.

Subaru cautiously entered the consulting area. He was rather relieved when Seishirou came forward with a smile of welcome. He didn't appear to have disturbed the veterinarian's work. "Hello, Seishirou-san. How is the little puppy doing?" 

"Recovering wonderfully," Seishirou replied. "Here, you can see for yourself."

Suddenly Subaru found himself with an armful of puppy that proceeded to thoroughly lick his face. He laughed aloud at the ticklish sensation. "Well, you're certainly much livelier today," he said to the puppy, hugging it carefully.

The puppy barked as though it understood him. Today Subaru was dressed in clothes in orange and green, the clashing colors managing to work due to the strange geometric designs Hokuto had sewn. Subaru would have been embarrassed to know that he looked "utterly adorable and without a shred of dignity", or so his sister had said to herself when he departed this morning after meeting for breakfast. 

Seishirou merely scratched the puppy under the chin, refraining from any remarks on how immature Subaru was acting. "Would you like to get some lunch?" The vet offered. "I know a diner not far from here that's serving pumpkin pie for dessert."

Subaru's eyes widened slightly. Apparently, Seishirou did not intend to cut him from his acquaintance. He had been worried over the past three days that, that night had merely been a fluke, and that Seishirou would decide that getting involved with an onmyouji was a bad idea. "I'd really like that," Subaru said. "I have… an appointment at two, but I'm free until then."

"Excellent. Shall we go now?" 

Subaru blinked, unable to believe how fast things were happening. Then again, perhaps he was just misinterpreting things and the man was simply friendly. He didn't have that many male friends, so he wasn't sure if this was what people usually did with each other. "Um, I don't want to take you away from your work, surely you're busy?" he stammered tentatively.

"Not at all, I have no appointments today, so I'm free. Don't worry about it," Seishirou said carelessly, lifting the puppy from Subaru's arms to replace into the little kennel. Slipping into his large overcoat, the veterinarian frowned a little at Subaru, "How often do you eat?"

"Um…" Subaru blushed. "When I remember to?"

Seishirou tapped Subaru on the nose playfully. "I bet your sister is always nagging you to take care of yourself."

"Well…" Subaru wondered how the older man had him nailed so perfectly. "I get busy," he said lamely.

"We all get busy. That doesn't mean we stop caring for ourselves; if we fall apart, then those who love us will be hurt," Seishirou said, smiling slightly. Something in his amber eyes seemed to be carrying a hidden meaning, and Subaru answered him with a blush.

Subaru was nearly fainting with light-headedness from Seishirou's attention. Subaru was impressed by how sensible the man made everything sound. He certainly didn't want to hurt Hokuto-chan. Unexpectedly, a thought surfaced in his mind; perhaps Seishirou-san was actually interested in Hokuto. Subaru considered it was highly unlikely that anyone would be interested in him that way. He just didn't think he was that engaging. 

Fortunately, he was prevented from stewing over the issue too deeply as he let Seishirou steer him out of the door. Sitting in Seishirou's little van, Subaru was again distracted by how normal everything was. It was as if he belonged here, somehow destined. A small quiver ran through him at that strange thought. He had never considered destiny before.

He would have to have been an idiot to not know he had one. The inverted pentagrams etched on his hands, along with his grandmother's dire warnings of the Final Day in 1999 told him that something special was in store for him. Still, whenever he tried to think about it, something came up-- and he was just too damn busy to worry about these things.

He had people to protect. If he didn't do his job, then people would suffer. That was the way of things. He leaned back slightly, wondering where they were going, though his habitual shyness prevented him from asking.

Seishirou was a careful driver, and aside from the soft hum of the CD player, there was no noise in the van. Subaru stole glances at the older man's profile, wondering if he should attempt to make conversation. I'm just too awkward around normal people, he thought sadly when he realized he couldn't think of anything to discuss.

Seishirou didn't appear to mind in the slightest, and sat in comfortable silence. Fortunately, the Tokyo traffic wasn't too bad at that hour and they arrived quickly. Subaru struggled a little with his seatbelt, unused to being in a car. 

Outside, Subaru observed that they were in a very nice neighborhood. A small row of restaurants stretched out in front of him. There was food here for every palate. 

"Do you like ramen?" Seishirou asked him.

"Oh, yes, I like it, especially the little Enoki mushrooms that come in it," Subaru answered. He didn't get to eat ramen very much. Hokuto usually packed a lunch box for him to make sure he got at least one meal every day, but that was cold food. He normally didn't feel like eating after working. Exorcisms usually took a lot out of him and left him with no appetite.

Seishirou smiled. "This place has some of the best fresh noodles, and the spices-- and you have to try some of their okonomiyaki." Seishirou said, holding the door to one of the smallest restaurants open.

Subaru blushed. "I… don't think I can eat that much…" He said faintly. Whenever he did eat, it was usually only a tiny portion. Hokuto once accused him of living on air and a bit of water.

"We'll split one, then. What's your favorite okonomiyaki topping?" Seishirou asked curiously.

"Um…" Subaru paused for a while as he considered. He remembered a childhood favorite of his. The cook at Kyoto had always managed to make an excellent okonomiyaki. He wondered if this place could be able to do it just as well. "Squid and prawns!" He said, smiling at the memory.

Seishirou grinned at his sudden enthusiasm. 

There were not many customers and their food arrived quickly. The ramen was excellent and the okonomiyaki even better. Subaru was a little embarrassed to be sharing a dish with a near stranger like this. It was such an intimate act. Somehow, though, he couldn't consider Seishirou a stranger. There was just something so familiar about him.

The conversation somehow turned to Subaru's work. "Do you like what you do?" Seishirou inquired.

"I… don't dislike it, usually," Subaru answered after a moment's pause. He ate a bit of stray squid, which was amazingly tender instead of rubbery like he'd feared. He spent another moment considering. "My job… is important. Few people can do it, so even if I could be a vet… I probably wouldn't, since there's no one to take my place. I can't have a normal life… but I make sure I spend my life so others can."

"And I'm sure no one really appreciates you for it," Seishirou remarked. "Isn't there another Sumeragi who could take your place?"

The onmyouji shook his head. "The Sumeragi have always been a small clan, and while most of them have some talent, the really big things require power that you have to be born with… I'm the most powerful member of my family… so I am Clan Head," he concluded sadly. 

"I know a little onmyoujitsu," Seishirou said suddenly. He looked intently at Subaru as if trying to gauge his reaction.

Subaru was a little taken aback, though not by the fact that Seishirou knew onmyoujitsu. Subaru could feel the evidence of power in him. No, it was Seishirou's honesty that impressed him. Subaru knew that as the Sumeragi in charge of the proper use of magic in Japan, he was needed to regulate onmyouji practitioners. Subaru thought that Seishirou as a Sakurazuka would have felt too inhibited in admitting his knowledge of onmyoujitsu to him. 

"Thank you for telling me."

"I don't use it very often, but I think it's a good skill to have. I feel that these things are our tradition should be kept up," Seishirou said. 

"Yes, a lot of people these days no longer believe in magic," Subaru admitted.

"But that's not to say that it doesn't exist."

"There are more things in heaven and on earth…" Subaru replied, setting down his chopsticks. He had positively gorged himself on the meal by his standards, but the amount of left over food told him his appetite was still too small.

"…Then are dreamt of in our philosophy?" Seishirou deliberately misquoted. "There are... but it's not our fault no one cares to admit it anymore. They feel safe in their little cocoons of a normal world. It's only when something goes wrong that you're called on."

Subaru sighed. "If people still believed, so much less would go wrong. I worry about next year… there's lots of hype for Y2K, but people don't--" he broke off, realizing he was saying something he shouldn't be.

Seishirou was looking down at his plate and had to concentrate hard to remove the gleam that he knew was in his eye. So, his counterpart wasn't as oblivious about the future as he appeared. Carefully he swung his head up as if puzzled by Subaru stopping in the midst of his sentence. 

Subaru decided to just smile and shake his head while trying to dismiss thoughts of the Apocalypse from his mind. There was still time, or so Subaru tried to tell himself.

Seishirou let the moment pass. Perking up, he changed the subject abruptly, "Do you like dessert, Subaru-kun?" 

Subaru nodded, but then grew flustered when he realized the time. "Oh, yes, but I can't have any now, I have a job waiting for me. I'm so sorry, Seishirou-san."

Seishirou merely smiled. "All right then, we shall have to try dessert another time. You must let me give you a ride to your job."

"That- that's not necessary!" Subaru protested faintly, trying to hide how reluctant he was to part.

"I insist. I'm a bit curious to see how an onmyouji applies his art in this day in age," Seishirou answered smoothly as he signaled for the check and paid.

"I… I really shouldn't let you come along…" Subaru answered. "It's a personal thing. And it may not be safe..."

"I can take care of myself, don't worry," Seishirou countered calmly. He grinned mischievously and took Subaru's gloved hand in his. "I won't get in the way. I'll keep way in the back. Please?"

Somehow, Subaru looking at Seishirou's earnest expression could believe the older man really could take care of himself; and even take care of Subaru as well. The thought left a little tingle of pleasure as it ran through his mind.

"I…" For some reason, his usual lectures of professional responsibilities wouldn't come. "You're going to keep quiet. If anyone asks, you're my aide, got it?" Subaru found himself saying.

"Sure thing," Seishirou agreed easily enough, apparently satisfied.

Subaru wondered what he was getting into.

*

The address Subaru had been given was for a middle-class apartment in the middle of Tokyo. Tokyo Tower was visible in the distance, but aside from that, there were no other distinguishing features.

The elderly woman who answered the door looked undeniably harassed. When Subaru identified himself, an immense relief swept through her eyes, though the worried frown on her brow remained. "Please come in," she invited them.

The two men entered the apartment and toed off their shoes. "Are you Terada Michiyo? Will you tell me what's wrong?" Subaru asked. There was an aura of wrongness that hung over everything in this home. 

She nodded. "It's my son... I'm afraid he may be in terrible trouble." 

"What do you mean?" Subaru prompted. He had done this enough times to know that people had to be encouraged to tell their stories. Often it was a long and tedious process delving to the bottom of things. Most times, people didn't wish to reveal their deepest problems, hoping he could just solve the surface difficulty without having to reveal the skeletons in their closet. However, experience told Subaru that it was best to find out everything first before venturing into the unknown. 

"He's… he's been sick… and I think…" she sighed, and sat down on the nearest sofa, which was protected by a plastic slipcover. Subaru gingerly sat down beside her. The plastic squeaked. He noted idly that Seishirou was leaning calmly against the wall, arms folded across his chest.

"Terada-san…. You have to tell me what's wrong for me to be able to help," he said, removing his hat, which was an orange beret today, and holding it in his green-gloved hands.

The old lady sighed and clenched her fists, her knuckles turning white under the strain. "It… It's complicated… we're a good family, Sumeragi-san… and I don't think Noeru would have done this… had Nobue not disappeared…" she said softly.

"Please, I can't help you if you don't tell me everything," Subaru said softly.

The kind tone in Subaru's voice must have assured her leading the lady to continue with new determination. "Nobue is my daughter. She disappeared a few weeks ago. My son, her twin is insisting that she's dead. But... I keep hoping she'll come back soon... Anyway, Noeru has done something bad, I think." 

Subaru nodded. From the distinct feel around the apartment, he knew there was the power of a miscast curse bouncing around. Backlash was a very common problem with novice spell casters. People simply didn't understand that curses were not good things to play around with. 

Subaru continued listening intently as the all too common tale unfolded.

"I saw that he had some evil, dangerous books. When I checked with the priest at the shrine I visit, he recommended that I call the Sumeragi family. Please - can you help him?" 

"What… makes you think he's actually done something?" Subaru asked.

"One night about a week ago, he locked himself in his room… and I heard chanting. I could smell something burning, but I couldn't tell you exactly what. I'd say it was some kind of incense, but it smelled a bit too… well, not sweet, but… I just can't describe it. I've never smelt anything like it before. The next day… he began being ill… he's been throwing up, and his tears…" she broke off, dropping her eyes.

"Is he weeping blood?" Seishirou asked softly, causing Subaru and Michiyo to jump slightly.

"Yes…" Michiyo whispered, and she darted eyes back and forth between the two. "How… how…."

Seishirou's knowledge impressed Subaru. The vet hadn't been kidding when he said he knew something of the art. "It's a classic symptom of a reflected curse," he informed her. "Your Noeru probably tried to cast a curse against someone, and that person either had very good defenses, or Noeru miscast it…."

Michiyo looked crushed. "Please, help him, he's all I have now that Nobue is..." She broke off, unable to continue.

Subaru got up. "Is he here now, Terada-san?"

Michiyo stretched out a trembling hand and pointed to a door. Subaru moved over to it and opened it cautiously after knocking on it gently. "Noeru-san, hello, I'm coming in now."

Stepping inside the dim room, Subaru's sensitive nose crinkled at the sour smell of vomit that hit him. Underlying it was the unique odor of blood. He could feel the reflected energy here more strongly, so thickly that he felt like he was wading through murky water. It appeared the young man was in deep trouble. "Noeru-san, your mother has asked me to help you," Subaru said gently. He did not want to spook Noeru any more than he was already.

"Go away, nobody can help me now!" A voice snapped.

Subaru firmly flipped a light switch to reveal the crouching form of a young man huddled in a corner. "I can help you, but I have one question first. Why did you cast that spell?" Subaru asked bluntly. Sometimes a head on approach was most effective. 

Noeru turned and looked at the oddly dressed man who was in front of him. "Who are you?" he demanded. "Are you another one of those counselors my mother hired to tell me that Nobue is okay?" he spat, rising slightly to his knees, wincing at the effort.

Subaru's natural empathy kicked in, and he shook his head. "I'm not…. I'm the head of the Sumeragi clan. I-"

Noeru's eyes widened. "You know!" he interrupted eagerly, and he rose the rest of his way to his feet. He took a few small, shaky steps across the room to the onmyouji. "You… you know about the Sakurazukamori!" he said.

Subaru flinched at the name, and the signs on his hands flared under his gloves, responding to the name of the one who had etched them into his flesh, so many years before. "That is not a name to be spoken lightly," Subaru said, his voice growing hard. He felt Seishirou's presence enter the room as well, but ignored him. This was more serious then he expected… his hereditary enemy was wound up in Terada Noeru's problem.

"He killed my sister!" Noeru exclaimed.

"How do you know?" he asked, his voice flat.

"I felt it when it happened. It was the most horrible thing I have ever felt. She was my twin, and when he killed her, I felt my heart torn into two," Noeru said brokenly. His strength gave out, and he collapsed back to the floor, curling up in the fetal position.

"Do you know what he looks like?" A soft question sounded from behind Subaru. 

Subaru was interested as well. Did Seishirou-san know who in his family was the current Sakurazukamori?

Noeru shook his head. "No, all I felt was this dark, looming presence. But there were sakura flying everywhere and a large falcon-like bird screeching away. And then she was dead." Tears were flowing freely now from the huddled form on the floor.

"But… why did you try to curse him?" Subaru asked. "Surely you know that curses always come back to rest on their caster…"

Noeru gritted his teeth, raising his head. "Do you have a sister?" he demanded of Subaru.

Subaru nodded slowly. "I have a twin…"

"Then you should understand! I wanted him to pay for taking her away from me! I don't care what happens to me! I don't care if I die! I want the bastard to suffer!" Noeru spat.

"But-" Subaru said.

Seishirou stepped away from the wall and rested a hand on the younger man's shoulder. He leaned over so he could whisper in his ear. "You should deal with the curse backlash. If he cast it against the Sakurazukamori, chances are that it was automatically reflected without the Sakurazukamori even being aware of it… As for Noeru, you're not going to convince him of anything. The best thing you can do is lock down his spiritual powers. He's lost to all reason."

Seishirou had a point. There was very little Subaru could do for Noeru right now. The young man had dug a deep grave for himself. Even now, he could see the howling spirits from the reflected curse circling outside the window battering to come in. If they did, they would tear the man's soul to shreds leaving only a husk.

Subaru's professional instincts were triggered. Removing a handful of ofuda from his pocket, he began to place them at strategic points around the room. He shot a look at Seishirou-san, who had removed himself and settled in a far corner near the door. "Will you be all right?" Subaru asked, wanting to be absolutely certain.

"Don't worry, Subaru-kun. My meager abilities can manage a small kekkai," the older man smiled at him.

Subaru nodded, knowing that he had to trust the other man. "I… I'll be involved in spell casting. I can't protect you…" he warned, feeling slightly sick at the thought of something going wrong that could hurt Seishirou.

"I'll be fine," Seishirou assured him. "Noeru-san is your concern now. He has been able to hold off the worst of the reflection so far, but he's not going to be able to hold out much longer. You need to perform the counter curse as soon as possible,"

Noeru tried to look unconcerned, but a slight bit of fear was shining in the corner of his dark eyes.

Subaru nodded at his friend. "Raise your kekkai, Seishirou-san… I'm ready to begin," he said softly as he brought his hands together and began to chant.

Subaru began to pull at his power and poured all his concentration into dispelling the curse. The words of his chant rolled off his tongue with practiced ease.

The outrage of the invisible spirits was palpable. They did not like to be denied their prey. Subaru kept firm control and his power was undeniably overwhelming. Very little these days could challenge him in the magical department.

Noeru watched the Sumeragi as he chanted, and for a second, he had the impression that the man lit up from within, glowing with power, a warm white light that embraced Noeru and forgave him for his sins. The white light reached out and sought to wash away all the evil and pain he'd wished on another, and Noeru almost gave into it…

Then he remembered Noboe's death. "NO!" he yelled, putting his hands over his ears and shutting his eyes, rejecting Subaru.

Subaru reeled back psychically. This wasn't the first time someone had rejected him, but he had thought… "On sowa hamba shuda saraba taraman wa hamba shudokan!" Subaru yelled fiercely, throwing one of his ofuda so it landed squarely on Noeru's chest.

A final stern push was all that was needed to clear the miasma of hatred attaching itself to the young man. Subaru opened his eyes and checked around. Seishirou was leaning casually against the door now, his gaze intent on Subaru. The onmyouji couldn't make out the strange expression in those amber eyes.

Subaru shook his head and turned his attention back to the young man. "Don't try to cast curses again. You don't know how to do them and they won't affect the Sakurazukamori," he told Noeru sternly. He didn't know if the young man would take his advice but it was all he had to offer him.

Noeru didn't answer him. He just sat there dumbly. 

Subaru started when a hand fell on his shoulder. Seishirou looked solemn. "Shall we go?"

Subaru cast one last backward glance at Noeru. He understood the connection the young man felt to his twin and wondered what would have been like to lose Hokuto. He shuddered. No, that was something he couldn't bear to even contemplate.

*

It was later that evening that Noeru's curse truly came to rest on his head. His mother, relieved that the Sumeragi had exorcised the demons that had been tormenting her son, had finally gone to bed. He laid awake, wondering if there was anything he could do.

"You miss your sister, don't you?" a soft voice said, coming from by the window. The voice was gentle, but something about its apparent concern sent shivers down his spine.

"Who-who's there?" He demanded, rising to his feet. He was still not recovered from the effects of the curse's backlash, and his legs shook from his weakness. Noeru thought the window had been locked, and his apartment was on the fifth story of the building. His stomach dropped as he realized who it had to be. "Sakurazukamori…." He hissed, not daring to raise his voice. His mother was two rooms over, and if she came, she would die.

The figure, still hidden in the shadows, laughed softly. "So you do have a brain. I had wondered-- casting a curse at me… not bright, boy. I have more magic in my small finger than you do in your entire family."

"Why did you kill her?" Noeru demanded. His mind was flying through ways of stopping the assassin in front of him, but all his research had led him to believe that the Sakurazukamori was practically unstoppable.

"She was the mistress of a powerful man. Did you know that?"

"You lie!" Noeru spat.

"Why would I? She just happened to hear something she shouldn't have… and she became a threat to Japan. I couldn't have that."

"Why are you here now?" Noeru asked, trembling. He was afraid, but in a way, he almost welcomed the answer. 

"Why? To grant you your wish," the looming, dark figure by his window replied. A ghostly wind had now picked up around him. A distinct scent of sakura began to flood the room.

"My wish," Noeru sighed in defeat.

"Yes, to be with your twin sister, of course." 

Noeru stood up to face his killer. His gasp was audible when the Sakurazukamori stepped forward into the light. "You! You were here today! With the Sumeragi! How..."

"What I do is not a matter of concern for you. Are you ready?" Sakurazuka Seishirou asked gently. He was inclined to be kind tonight. He was in a very good mood. Subaru had provided him with a most entertaining afternoon. The young Sumeragi clan head's power had resounded deeply within him. Yes, he would enjoy the chase before bringing his beautiful prey down.

"Unite me with my sister then. Damn you."

Seishirou laughed. "Curses don't have an effect on me." With an almost casual gesture, he lifted his right hand and plunged it through Noeru's chest. He let the body drop, his mind already returning to his game with another pair of twins.

~~~~~

Author's Notes:

Aishuu: I'd like to define Paradigm Shift... it's a term my philosophy teacher was fascinated with and would have various students yell at various parts during the semester. It's basically a set of ideals and concepts (a way of seeing the world) that people would follow- a shift would be a change into something totally and completely new. COMPLETE paradigm shifts in society are rare and very uncomfortable.

Xandra: From what I understand a Paradigm Shift is a fundamental change in world view. Thanks to Aishuu for letting me cry on her shoulder when I finished reading Tokyo Babylon and coming up with the seed of this idea to cheer me up. This story is entirely due to my denial that Tokyo Babylon ever happened. ^__^

Aishuu: Xandra assures me that squid in Asia is much better than we Americans get- it's nowhere near as rubbery. Also, the kekkai Seishirou raises is not a Kekkai… the difference being a capital letter! Actually, you see small kekkai raised in many manga… like Yami no Matsuei and they are a part of the onmyouji's art, so it's natural he'd be able to. The Kekkai of the Dragons of Heaven expand for MILES… over the entire battlefield. Seishirou's kekkai merely protects himself. And on Subaru's chant- I stole it from Natalie Baan's Sakura and Snow, which got it from the OAVs.

Xandra: Yes, squid is yummy. I love it. Also Enoki mushrooms are tiny strand-like pale mushrooms that go very well in ramen soups, at least in the recipes I make. However I'm not sure if they really have them in ramen in Japan. Sorry if it's inaccurate.

Aishuu: I'll just take your word for it. There's no way I'm going to eat a piece of fungus. People have already commented on Subaru in TB style clothing… well, aside from my slight obsession with it, it WILL be important later. Really. And I have a really awesome hats website bookmarked.

Xandra: It's so nice to write a 24 year old Subaru without issues. And this Subaru is powerful and much more in control of his magic than the TB one. Don't forget, he's had 10 years of practice and being an onmyouji is his full time job. But Subaru is still as soft hearted as ever so, there are certain things that he will not be doing. Last note: Thanks to Krystal for beta-ing. 

Krystal: *smirks* I love being able to read installments of fanfic before they hit the message boards. Fabulous job guys. This is turning out to be a very fun beta job. ^_^

Coming up: Subaru goes on a DATE with Seishirou at Tokyo Tower! The question arises, does he love Seishirou?


	3. Dancing Towards Destruction

The Writing Team of AXQA presents: Paradigm Shift

Axqa_1@yahoo.com

Once again with the disclaimers: We don't own the X and Tokyo Babylon characters in this story. They belong to Clamp. All hail Clamp. We hope the liberties we're taking with their characters will be forgiven.

Chapter 3 - Dancing Towards Destruction

__

December 24, 1998….

Two months of knowing Seishirou had made Subaru immensely happy--and confused. Happy, because it was nice to know someone normal and nearly perfect could care for someone like him. He was also confused, because Seishirou's attention was unlike anything he'd ever experienced.

It wasn't that Seishirou was trying to kiss him or get him into bed. Seishirou had always been proper with him. It was just every now and then, the vet's amber eyes would burn with something that made Subaru feel off-balance and his blood heat up.

It wasn't lust, though. It couldn't be…

Hokuto thought the whole situation was hysterical. _She_ kept teasing him about weddings and having a new brother-in-law, which usually had him blushing so heavily he felt light-headed. Her teasing, whenever she saw the two together, left him stammering and stuttering, and Seishirou usually would play right along with her. It was enough to make any sane man consider homicide. 

That night was Christmas Eve, and Seishirou had invited him to a party at Tokyo Tower. Subaru had no clue how Seishirou had managed to get the tickets, since they were very hot commodities, but it promised to be an interesting experience. He hadn't seen the other man in three days because of his work, and he missed him.

The vet had arranged to pick him up at his apartment. Somehow, Hokuto-chan had found out about the event and Seishirou-san had ended up inviting her along. Now she was at his place with an armful of clothes and a determined look in her eye that made Subaru distinctly suspicious.

Hokuto dressed herself with her usual unique flair. Tonight, she was a fairy. Large sweeping wings all but knocked him sideways as she swept around his home hunting for a particular accessory to match the outfit she had planned for him. 

"Um Hokuto-chan, I don't think it's a costume party at Tokyo Tower. Don't you find those wings a little inconvenient?" Subaru asked. He had actually given up trying to question her clothing choices but for tonight, in Seishirou-san's presence and as his guests, Subaru didn't want to be an embarrassment to the man. 

Hokuto merely laughed that endearingly uninhibited laugh of hers. "Oh ho ho ho ho ho! Subaru, you're too shy. Don't you see just what I'm dressed as?" At Subaru's head shake, she shook a finger at him. "I'm your fairy godmother! You need someone to help you get your Prince Charming!" 

Subaru groaned. He crossed his fingers and toes in hopes that she was not going to dress him up like Cinderella. He wouldn't put it past her to think up some crazy theme outfit and dragoon him into wearing it. Unfortunately, he would let her, since he had never won an argument over clothes with her in his entire life.

"Subaru…" Her green eyes sparkled and she started to back him into a corner. "Are you going to cooperate, or is this going to be done… the hard way?" she said, dropping her voice melodramatically on the last three words.

He paled in fear and held out his arms for the clothes she had brought. "Give them to me," he said, trying not to whimper.

When Seishirou rang the doorbell half an hour later, a set of large green eyes peeked out from behind the shelter of the door chain. "Hello, Sei-chan!" a voice chirped. "Subaru's almost ready. He's still trying to figure out the buckles…"

Seishirou quirked an eyebrow, "Buckles? Can I assume you have something to do with that, Hokuto-chan?" he asked curiously.

She laughed as she undid the chain. "Well, it might be the straps…"

"Straps?" Seishirou echoed.

"Hokuto!" Subaru yelled from the bedroom. "I am NOT WEARING THIS!"

Seishirou blinked. "This I have to see. You've finally designed something Subaru refuses to wear?" Over the past weeks, he had seen Subaru in some outrageous outfits, and if Hokuto had finally pushed him to the edge…

Hokuto flung the door wide to let Seishirou in. "You have to tell him that he looks good!" She demanded.

Seishirou lifted his hands in mock surrender. He stepped into the apartment, lavishly large by Tokyo's overcrowded standards. One thing he had to say for the Sumeragi was they didn't keep their clan head short of funds. 

Hokuto closed the door and disappeared through a door that led to Subaru's bedroom. Behind it, he could hear sounds of a minor scuffle. "Subaru-kun, are you all right?" he called through it.

"NO, NO, NO, Hokuto-chan!" Seishirou could hear Subaru's muffled exclamations. Then in reply to Seishirou, Subaru called back, "Please give me a bit more time, Seishirou-san!"

"We're going to be late," he called out gently. "They lock the doors in less than an hour…" The white lie came out easily.

"See?" Hokuto said. "Now you have to go!"

"But…but-"

"Come ON!" Hokuto said, and the bedroom door slammed again. A curious Seishirou watched as Hokuto dragged her brother out. His jaw almost dropped in amazement, and he firmly took his libido in hand, reminding himself to behave.

Subaru was in a strange combination of green leather straps, gold buckles, and white trim around his wrists and green skullcap. The outfit should have looked ridiculous or pornographic, but Hokuto, as usual, kept it on the right side of tasteful--barely. It displayed flashes of Subaru's pale skin, and Seishirou's eyes widened at the low-cut collar that bared Subaru's slim throat. It was the mistletoe that he had dangling from his ears, though, that truly drew Seishirou's attention.

"I didn't know you had your ears pierced, Subaru-kun," he said, trying valiantly to keep from wondering how long it would take to undo all the tiny buckles.

"Hokuto talked me into it when I was seventeen," he said, casting his sister a dirty look. "I usually only wear studs, when I bother wearing earrings at all… but she insisted the mistletoe was important."

"You're perfect, Subaru," Hokuto nagged. "Now let's get going!"

Seishirou had to agree. His young opposite was certainly proving to be a most delicious dish. The dangling mistletoe drew his eye to the smooth perfect curve of his neck constantly. Seishirou was having a hard time trying not to lean forward and taste it. 

Subaru allowed himself to be tugged towards the door. He made a final weak protest, "Hokuto-chan, I can't go out like this, it's too cold!" 

"Nonsense, the place will be heated. But here, catch!" Hokuto replied, throwing a long snowy white jacket at Seishirou. 

Seishirou caught it deftly and swung it out. He mimed the perfect gentleman, helping Subaru slip into it. However, he couldn't resist making a casual swipe down Subaru's back, as if to straighten the cloth. He smiled when he felt Subaru shudder a little in reaction to the touch. 

Tokyo Tower was one of the most gorgeous sites in the city, but Subaru was uncomfortable with it. He could feel the Kekkai humming under his feet, and the power throbbed at the back of his mind, waiting. Subaru knew that the final battle was destined to be fought here. That knowledge made him uneasy.

It would be so easy for one of the Dragons of Earth to appear, and begin a battle…

He shivered slightly at the thought. Even though it was over a year to the Final Day, he knew that within a month, the forces of each side would begin to gather, and he, as the Sumeragi, would be one of the first called… 

"Subaru-kun?" Seishirou asked softly after noticing him shiver. "Are you cold? We're almost to our floor… it should be warmer there."

Subaru smiled at Seishirou and his sister, trying to banish all dark concerns from his mind. "I'll be fine! It's this outfit!" he said, trying to shift the blame onto his sister playfully.

His sister saw the darkness in his eyes, though, and even while she wailed at how cruel he was. He knew she wasn't buying it. It was like that, having a twin. Sometimes Hokuto knew him better then he knew himself.

The party was in full swing when they stepped out of the elevator onto the viewing platform. It was certainly much warmer here. Subaru physically reeled back from the noise and press of human activity, stumbling into Seishirou. "I'm so sorry," he apologized. He never liked being in a crowd.

Seishirou simply held him steady for a moment, before righting him. 

Hokuto's sharp eyes noted Subaru's discomfiture but remained determined to make him have a good time. "Subaru," she called gaily, "you have to dance tonight!"

"But... Hokuto-chan! I can't dance!" Subaru protested, and it was the truth. He had never learned how, and the few times he did was only with Hokuto. That primarily consisted of her dragging him around the floor. Subaru knew he wasn't much fun on dates. Most of the time, all he did with the girls that Hokuto forced him to date was take them out for meals. He had never dated anyone twice.

"Maybe it's because you haven't had the right partner," Seishirou said, offering his hand to the other man.

"With-with you?" Subaru stammered. "Bu-but…" he looked around, trying to figure out how to point out that they were both men and that it wouldn't be, well, normal.

"Don't you like me, Subaru-kun?" Seishirou asked.

"I-" Subaru said, feeling like a trapped mouse. Put that way, he simply had no answer. His inhibitions refused to let him exclaim 'Of course I do!' 

"Go ahead! I'll go check our coats and find a table! Look over there- there're some girls dancing together, and in that corner, a few male couples are dancing! You won't be the only same-sex couple out there!" Hokuto said before releasing another of her trademark cackles.

Subaru's eyes widened. He was a little panicked, in part by the thought of dancing in a public place when he didn't know how, and in part by the idea of being held in Seishirou's arms. 

__

No, I just can't! 

Emotions in turmoil, he quickly turned around and snatched the coats forcibly from Hokuto's arms, saying "No! I'll check the coats!" before practically running off to the counter. An exasperated "Subaru!" followed in his wake.

Subaru was glad for the moment to gather his wits. Really, he was behaving like a callow teenager. He had to remind himself firmly that he was now a 24-year-old man, and fully capable of taking control of his life; and he was not attracted to Seishirou-san that way. _No, no, no,_ he firmly told himself.

But he could not explain the pang in his heart when he returned to the sight of Seishirou twirling Hokuto about the dance floor. Subaru thought Seishirou looked wonderful smiling down on Hokuto like that. He longed to have the other man smile down on him that way instead of at Hokuto. Subaru couldn't explain the hurt that suddenly lanced through him. Was he jealous? It was a new emotion for him. But was he jealous _for_ Hokuto or _of_ Hokuto? 

Ridiculous… he wasn't… that way… he'd always liked girls, hadn't he?

He took a second to reflect on it, and aside from a mild childhood crush on a girl who'd later gone Within, he couldn't recall having strong feelings for anyone romantically. It was as if his heart had been frozen, waiting for someone special. Only Seishirou made him feel alive and dizzy. Only Seishirou made his heart race….

__

It… no…

He watched Hokuto reach up and pull Seishirou's head down close to whisper something in his ear, and felt a surge of unconflicted emotion.

He was definitely jealous.

Fortunately, for his peace of mind, the music ended and the couple on the floor broke up. Both Hokuto and Seishirou looked up in time to see Subaru trying to edge into as quiet a corner as possible. Hokuto bounced over, her fairy wings swinging wildly behind her. Seishirou followed a discrete distance behind her. Both of them were beaming broadly at Subaru.

"Subaru! That was absolutely fun!" Hokuto called at the top of her voice, earning the puzzled glances of people around them. Most of them ended up taking a second look anyway as she reached Subaru. The twins standing together made a striking pair. They had a certain luminous quality that forced the eye to linger. Of course, their clothes then earned them another glance of startled astonishment.

Subaru cringed a little from the intense looks directed his way. Then one in particular caught his attention. Seishirou's gaze was enigmatic. The older man walked up to him and reached out a hand to take Subaru's gloved one, the sudden warmth making Subaru forget everything else around him. 

"Hokuto-chan was telling me she has another appointment this Christmas Eve," Seishirou informed him.

__

She did? Subaru was confused. He didn't recall her mentioning it before. 

She gave him a mischievous grin. "I promised someone we'd take a moonlit walk on the beach… it'll be cold this time of year, but… ah, the things we do for love, ne?" she said, and she spun, the gossamer wings on her back shimmering under the lights.

"Love?" Subaru echoed. He hadn't heard anything about this, and he wondered how far apart he and his sister had grown. Something about the way her smile didn't reach her eyes made him wonder if she was truly happy.

"Ah… it's okay, Subaru! Christmas Eve is an evening for lovers, and as they say, three's a crowd!" she crowed, and before he knew it, she threw a kiss at him, then Seishirou, before vanishing into the elevator.

Subaru blinked at the speed of her disappearance. He turned to Seishirou, wondering briefly what they were supposed to do now. 

Seishirou stood for a moment staring after Hokuto before directing his full attention at Subaru. "I hear the view from here is spectacular," he commented.

Subaru leaned a bit to crane his neck at the window but he couldn't see much. The two of them were a little distance from the glass. 

"Come, shall we take a look?" Seishirou suggested as he steered him closer to a quiet corner at the edge of the platform. 

Subaru was content to stand there silently gazing at the view. Darkness had fallen and the city spread out beneath them, quiet and serene. Subaru contemplated the winking lights spread out like a glittering tapestry below. He knew that each of them represented a person or a family, going about their lives peacefully. This was what he had sworn to protect. 

"Tokyo is so beautiful…" he whispered softly, echoing his sentiments aloud.

"You really love this city, don't you?" Seishirou asked, placing his hand against the smooth window as they scanned the early evening skyline together.

Subaru smiled gently. "Yes… I love Tokyo. Kyoto may be my hometown, but I've lived here for about a decade… there's something special about this city…"

Seishirou smiled as well. "I think I know what you mean…"

Something about Seishirou's voice made Subaru tilt his head and look up at the older man. "Do you love Tokyo, Seishirou-san?" he asked softly.

"Love Tokyo? I do," Seishirou answered contemplatively. He paused for a moment. Then he added, "People find a need to love things even when it's not necessarily the best thing for them."

"But if it isn't the best thing for them, then why would they love it?" Subaru asked innocently.

"I think it's because people think that as long as they have love, they will have hope. For without hope, how can life continue?" Seishirou said, his lips curving in a mysterious smile.

Subaru was struck by how astute Seishirou was. "I have hope," Subaru stated.

"I know. It shines from you so brightly I can practically touch it." Seishirou replied. "I bet it serves you well in your work. Spirits cannot injure those who truly are good," he whispered, placing his hand on top of Subaru's.

Subaru turned a bright scarlet. "I-I…." He looked around, wondering why his fair skin had to show off his blush so brightly.

Seishirou laughed. "Do you want to dance?" he offered again.

Subaru found himself nodding, more in reaction to cover up his flustered feelings then from any real desire to dance. A few steps later he staggered to a halt, suddenly realizing what he had just agreed to.

But Seishirou wasn't giving him a chance to back out now. Wrapping an arm around Subaru's waist, and keeping a firm grip on him, he all but swept him onto the dance floor.

Subaru gave a small, terrified squeak, and flushed red in embarrassment. Still, a small, glad feeling wormed into his heart as he discovered he liked being led through the steps of the dance. Seishirou was surprisingly competent and didn't let him stumble.

"See, you can dance," Seishirou said smugly. 

Subaru just looked over Seishirou's shoulder deciding that it was, barely, the least evil choice. Seishirou guided him around the floor expertly, and a natural instinct took over. He found it easy to follow the waltz, and when the song shifted into a slow dance, and Seishirou pulled him even closer, he didn't object.

It was as if they had danced hundreds of times together. They could anticipate where the other would go, and Seishirou's hand on his waist was comforting, though thrilling. Unknown to Subaru, eyes followed them, attracted by the stunning pair the two men made. 

"You can put your head on my shoulder," Seishirou whispered in his ear. "For slow dances, that's okay," he said softly.

Subaru normally would have been embarrassed by the suggestion, stammering out some kind of excuse, but something about the lighting and the mood had him sleepily nodding agreement. Seishirou wrapped both arms around his waist, and Subaru, who was a good six inches shorter than the other man, laid his head obediently on the vet's left shoulder, feeling the reassuring beat of Seishirou's heart.

Subaru could have remained in this position forever, but he was rudely brought back to awareness of his intimate closeness to Seishirou when another pair of dancers bumped into him. The sly look from the man's female companion brought another bout of blushing from Subaru. The room felt too hot and stifling as he returned to reality. 

Confusion forced him to make a convulsive wrench, tearing himself from Seishirou's grip. He dashed off. He had to get away, just for a little while, to sort his thoughts out. A staircase appeared before him, and he nearly ran upwards. He was vaguely aware of Seishirou's footsteps following behind him. 

Subaru skidded to a stop. He was at the edge of the special viewing platform of Tokyo Tower. Panting slightly, he leaned against the cool glass, trying to figure out why he had liked dancing so closely with Seishirou. 

"Subaru-kun?" Seishirou asked softly. "Did I do something to offend you?"

Subaru turned disconcerted green eyes to his date, _yes, date_, for the evening. He'd been trying to sort out what was going on for so long, and he was getting more and more flustered and off-balance. He was twenty-four years old, and having his entire world-view shifted by one man was not anything he had expected. He was already an onmyouji destined to fight the final battle… did he have to deal with being gay as well?

"I- no- I…" To his horror, tears started to well in his eyes, and he raised a hand to brush them aside.

"Subaru-kun…" Seishirou whispered gently. "How about we talk, okay? I don't want you to be upset."

Subaru nodded unhappily. He wanted to shrink into himself and not have to face the terrifying truth. _But Seishirou-san is being so nice..._

Seishirou reached out a careful hand and led him towards a small bench on the darkened viewing platform. There was no one else around. He settled down beside him. Then as if he was a precious piece of fragile glass, Seishirou said, "You know, I really like you."

The declaration brought a flush of elation to Subaru. What was he supposed to do now? He knew if he confessed to a similar liking, there would be no going back for him. Still… he was already at the point of no return. Taking a deep breath, he plunged forward recklessly. "I think I like you too, Seishirou-san." Subaru was so embarrassed that he turned his head away, not wanting to see Seishirou's reaction.

"Subaru, have you ever-- _liked_ anyone before? Romantically?" Seishirou asked delicately.

"I…." He almost mentioned the girl in grade school, but realized that was not what Seishirou wanted to know. "No. No…" He closed his eyes and tilted his head back, feeling the burn of tears that threatened to fall.

"It's hard, choosing to like another man. Society doesn't approve of it, but, if you truly love that other person, it's worth it. Gender shouldn't matter. Subaru-kun, I like you. I believe, if you gave me the chance, I could love you… you're beautiful and charming, and I find you fascinating-- but you have to give me that chance. You have to decide to take that leap of faith. I won't promise you that there won't be a fall, but I can promise I'll try to catch you," Seishirou whispered gently.

Subaru opened his eyes to meet the earnest amber gaze that was studying him. He had a decision to make. Still, as he looked into the other man's face, he realized that the decision had been made long ago. "When I was little, kids used to tease me, claiming I would make a beautiful bride, because I looked so much like a girl. It's so irritating to prove them right…" Subaru murmured, reaching out to touch Seishirou's cheek with his right hand.

"Why do you care so much about what other people think? Just be true to yourself," Seishirou said.

Subaru couldn't help but think Seishirou's attitude was so sensible. He wished he could see things that way. He had always been easily affected by what people said. He remembered being devastated when his childhood friend had told him that she thought he was not normal. Now he had to accept that he really was not normal. "All I ever wanted was to be normal," he said miserably.

"Oh, Subaru, don't wish that. You should be happy to be unique. You are not normal; you're gloriously, delightfully special to me," Seishirou declared.

Subaru gasped at the sincerity in the man's voice. It was nice to be special to someone. 

"May I?" Seishirou asked leaning closer.

Subaru nodded his consent shyly.

Seishirou placed his hands on Subaru's shoulders and brushed a light kiss over his lips. Subaru, though, turned scarlet at even that contact.

Seishirou pulled back and stared at the slightly surprised green eyes before leaning back in. "It's not so bad, is it?"

Subaru sighed and wrapped his arms around Seishirou's waist and Seishirou gave him a slightly longer, though just as chaste, kiss.

Seishirou straightened and held out a hand. "Come. I shall see you home."

Subaru smiled shyly and took his hand. He felt lightheaded all the way back to his apartment. He couldn't help gloating a little. His first kiss! There was no way he was going to tell Hokuto about it. No, no, he would never hear the end of it from her.

Safely inside his home, Subaru walked over to his window and brushed the curtain aside. Far below, he could see the dark figure of Seishirou. He had paused to light a cigarette. Subaru shook his head a little fondly at the habit. He knew it was bad and had told him so. Hence, Seishirou was always careful not to smoke around him. Looking out at the vista of lights, Subaru was reminded of their conversation at Tokyo Tower. Softly he whispered his reply, "Yes, I do love Tokyo; because this is where I met you, Seishirou-san."

Down below, the Sakurazukamori stood. He flicked the ash from the end of his cigarette and smiled a small satisfied smile. This pursuit of Subaru was proving to be a most interesting game. "You asked if I love Tokyo, Subaru-kun," he murmured to himself thoughtfully. "I do, because this is the only city on this earth that can enjoy itself as it walks the path to destruction." 

~~~~~

Notes: 

Xandra: It's really hard to express the same amount of feeling in using the English word "like" verses using the Japanese word "suki". People use the word "love" a lot more easily in the west. But right now at this stage, Subaru and Seishirou are probably using the word "suki". Also here's me laughing evilly because we're not going to tell you if Seishirou is being sincere or lying through his teeth to Subaru in this chapter. You'll just have to keep reading to find out. But yes, we're rushing things along a bit here because 1999 is coming! Kamui will make an appearance and complications will arise as the fight for the fate of the world begins. As for Christmas, we believe Christmas Eve is a big date night for couples in Japan. Hence it makes sense for there to be a big party at Tokyo Tower. Oh yes, Subaru's outfit in this chapter is my favourite. But I have no idea where the inspiration for Subaru's pierced ears come from *points at Aishuu*

Aishuu: Christmas is for lovers in Japan; it's a night you spend with a date, rather than family. Pierced ears have traditionally been a thing to signify homosexuality in America- it's only in the last few decades that's changed; good thing, I think its sexy, since ear are one of the erogenous zones. As for where this is heading… well, the new year is about to begin… which means it's 1999….

Both of us: many thanks to KrystalRose for beta-ing.

Coming up... Subaru's duty and destiny are brought home to him, plus Kanoe tries to recruit the Sakurazukamori. Will fate force the two to clash?


	4. Foretellers of the Future

The Writing Team of AXQA presents: **Paradigm Shift**

Disclaimer: We have no claims on any of the characters in this story. All X and Tokyo Babylon characters set within this story are the property of CLAMP. 

Chapter 4 - Foretellers of the Future

__

January 2, 1999

Subaru could feel the weight of the date as the year turned. He could feel the energy gathering around him. He could feel the players drawing closer to Tokyo, and he could hear the spirits whispering their nightmares and hopes. Everywhere he went, he felt the invisible Kekkai surrounding him, and he knew that soon, too soon, battle would be waged across the streets He would be called to summon the Kekkai of the Dragons of Heaven, and take his place in the war for the fate of humanity.

It was 1999, finally--less than a year remained until the Promised Day, and he felt more alive than ever before. He had been born for this and the strange exhilaration scared him. He was a pacifist, but knowing that soon his fate would be met filled him with a sense of satisfaction.

He had spent a pleasant New Year's Day with Hokuto, though he had to resist all her efforts to find out exactly what happened on his date with Seishirou. It had been surprisingly easy to deflect her. All he had to do was ask her about her mystery date on Christmas, and she let the matter drop. 

It saddened him to know that he and his sister were finally keeping secrets from each other.

However, Subaru was happy. His relationship with Seishirou soon fell into a comfortable routine. Most mornings, the kindly vet would come by and join him and Hokuto for breakfast. Then if Subaru didn't have a job, he would accompany Seishirou to his clinic and help with the animals. Subaru was glad to put to use the knowledge acquired from his long-neglected animal biology degree. He had always had a passion to help animals but he never had the chance to fulfill that love, his profession taking first priority with him. Now being with Seishirou at the clinic proved he could have the best of both worlds. Then sometimes when Seishirou was free, he would accompany Subaru on his jobs.

One morning, a phone call interrupted his happy routine.

"Subaru-san," an elderly voice sounded on the other side of the line.

"Grandmother!" Subaru exclaimed in surprise.

"I'm going to need to meet you tomorrow. We have an appointment with someone," she said, her soft voice, despite her age, still strong and commanding. "It's time."

"Time?" Subaru asked, baffled.

"Hinoto-hime has asked to meet you, Subaru-san," his grandmother said. "I'm going to take you there…"

Subaru leaned against the wall, forcing himself to breathe. "Hinoto-hime… she…"

"She is the one who walks through dreams and foresees the future. She is the one who will anoint you as the first among the ones to support the Kamui, when he comes to decide the fate of man."

Subaru looked around his spotless kitchen, and almost laughed at the ridiculousness of the situation. Subaru was half-dressed in another of Hokuto's costumes, having discarded the over-jacket of gold since the zip was broken. He was currently squeezing oranges for juice, one of the peels in his hand, and his grandmother was telling him that his fate was upon him. He wondered if it was some kind of sign. It was not an auspicious beginning.

He had always been an obedient child, and being twenty-four made no difference in his relationship with his grandmother. So he found himself bowing to no one while he replied, "Yes, Grandmother. I will go with you."

Subaru hung up the phone and took a moment to ponder the situation. The fate of the earth: would he be up to the challenge of protecting humanity? In his heart he knew there was nothing he wouldn't do to protect Hokuto. Now he could add Seishirou-san as a special person for him as well. 

Subaru came back to himself with a start to see Hokuto staring curiously at him.

"What did Obaasan want, Subaru?" she asked inquisitively.

"I have to go somewhere with her tomorrow."

"Who's Hinoto-hime?" Seishirou asked. He had obviously caught part of Subaru's conversation.

"She's…" he trailed off, not wanting to worry Seishirou, but knowing that telling him the truth was impossible as well. Subaru decided to go with a half-truth. "She's someone I'll be working with…"

Seishirou raised an eyebrow. "Does she need your services?"

Hokuto looked curious for a second, but then noticed the barely perceptible stress-lines around the edge of her brother's eyes. "It's probably something confidential, Sei-chan," she chirped. "If Obaasan is involved, then it's going to be intense… and Subaru doesn't want you hurt," she said, tapping Seishirou on the head playfully. "Sometimes there are things he can't even tell me, and I'm a Sumeragi!" she declared, faking a pout.

"I'm sorry," Subaru said miserably. "Please don't worry, it's all going to be all right_." At least I hope so,_ he thought anxiously to himself.

* 

The next day saw Subaru standing by the steps of the Diet Building, waiting patiently for his grandmother. He vaguely remembered of having done something like this once before, but try as he might, he couldn't recall when. A sudden tingle ran up the backs of his hands and he resisted an urge to take his gloves off to scratch the skin. It was very odd. His reverie was interrupted when he heard his name called.

"Obaasan. How are you?" He bowed to his grandmother.

"Well enough. You're looking well too," she replied formally. She paused to give him a lingering look, assessing the state of his health before sweeping past him into the building. 

As Subaru followed her into the Diet building, he was struck by how formal and traditional his grandmother was. Comparing her to Hokuto, he wondered just how the two most important women in his life could be related.

His grandmother looked straight ahead, never pausing to take in the fantastic surroundings of the building. Hokuto would have been bouncing all over, snapping pictures and asking questions. His grandmother moved with elegant movements that seemed lethargic, but were efficient. Hokuto would have been a poster child for energy excess. Subaru watched as she went to an elevator and opened the doors for him.

"Which floor?" he asked.

She glanced around, making sure they were alone as the door slid shut before revealing a secret panel below the button for the basement. "Hinoto-hime lives below the basement here," Lady Sumeragi told her grandson. She focused her intense eyes on him for a second. "You haven't met her before," she stated.

He shook his head.

She nodded. "She's paralyzed, blind, and mute--she speaks telepathically," she quickly explained as they descended. "Don't be surprised by anything that happens. Remember, you're the thirteenth Head of the Sumeragi Clan. You rank with anyone you will meet."

Subaru swallowed. He knew he still had problems dealing with his supposed exalted status. Hokuto was always going on at him for not being assertive enough. Nevertheless, while at work, he could when he wanted to, summon enough presence to impress his clients. It had been a problem in the past, but now that he was older, it was easier. Of course, people still tended to underestimate him because they were often too busy staring at his face and clothes. 

Walking into the cool dark room, Subaru was hard-pressed not to shiver visibly. A feeling of unease had settled into his bones, and he couldn't explain why. A strange doll-like woman huddling on the floor looked up at him. Around her, three of her attendants knelt. 

"I am Hinoto. You must be the thirteenth clan head of the Sumeragi. I'm very grateful you could find the time to meet me." A soft girlish voice resounded in Subaru's head.

"Oh, no, it's not a problem at all," Subaru replied, bowing to his waist. "I'm Sumeragi Subaru. I understand you had something to tell me?"

Hinoto's red eyes regarded Subaru for a moment. Then dramatically she said, "I wanted to ask if you were going to be ready for the coming battle when the fate of all mankind will be decided."

"I want to protect everyone. I will not let Tokyo be destroyed," Subaru said determinedly.

A troubled expression creased Hinoto's features. "But for you the road ahead will be dark. Your greatest enemy, the Sakurazukamori, will come for you. Even now, the grip of destiny is upon you. You will not be able to escape this fate," she warned.

Subaru paled slightly. The Sakurazukamori was his particular bogeyman. He had never encountered the mysterious assassin who used dark onmyoujitsu to kill. Surely, he was up to the task facing him. 

When Subaru said nothing, Hinoto continued, "I wanted to speak to you because your place by the side of the Kamui of the Dragons of Heaven is special. You will be called upon to choose a path that may cause great pain to him."

"Why would I hurt the Kamui? I am a Dragon of Heaven, I will not betray him!" Subaru protested.

"Perhaps not. But you may be betrayed in turn instead," Hinoto sighed in resignation. "All I can do is tell you to be on the alert."

Subaru looked at her uneasily, wondering why it felt like her words were layered with something he didn't understand, but would come back to haunt him if he didn't take the time to listen. "I have always been ready to serve the Kamui…. It has been foreordained," he whispered. 

Hinoto's unseeing eyes gleamed sorrowfully, though it might have just been his imagination. "Destiny has two routes it can choose now, Sumeragi-san. The route of the Seals will lead to the salvation of mankind… or the route of the Angels, who will bring about its destruction. Within this year, fate will decide its course, and even I cannot see the end." She leaned forward slightly, and Subaru instinctively stepped towards her to catch her should she fall, even though her twin attendants were keeping careful watch over her. 

"Subaru-san… the Seals are gathering. As they come, keep a watch for them and for the Kamui… for me. Bring them to me, if they will come… I have other servants, but you are the one who best understands the ramifications if the Seals fail in their duties." She seemed to sigh a little. "Prepare them… and yourself…. For the coming of the Kamui."

*

Blood trickled in tiny drops from the end of Seishirou's hand. He looked at the stain on his dark glove a little thoughtfully; comparing it to the ubiquitous ones that Subaru always wore. Smiling, he thought about how gloves were such useful multipurpose things. He knew about the warding spell on Subaru's accessories. _As if it would deter me_, he smirked to himself. 

Nonchalantly, he directed his attention at the body by his feet. The man had begged and pleaded and had tried to impress him with the extent of his political power, but it had not moved him in the slightest. _When will people learn that the Sakurazukamori did not bargain? _At any rate, there would be no body. The man would just have to disappear mysteriously. As he began to summon the spell that would whisk away the evidence, he felt a disturbance on the edge of his protections.

It wasn't enough to prevent him from completing the final spell to offer his victim to the Tree, but it was enough to make him wonder if he should have taken extra precautions. He had been indulgent, today, killing in broad daylight, but the knowledge that Subaru was taking his place among the Dragons of Heaven was making Seishirou feel decidedly irritable. They had a bet. There was no time to mess with such trivialities like the Promised Day.

If there was one thing Seishirou hated, it was being told what to do, and having fate selected for him didn't sit well on his shoulders. He couldn't see why Subaru allowed himself to be dictated to that way. Chuckling to himself, he murmured, "Subaru-kun, you are too gentle."

The body burst into fragments of the sweet and seemingly innocent flowers from which he took his name. Seishirou allowed his barrier to break, wondering who was rude enough to attempt to intrude--and if that person knew that he had just walked into his death. Seishirou smiled, and it wasn't the pleasant veterinarian smile that Sumeragi Subaru knew; it was that of the hunter that stalked the city of Tokyo, gifting death to all those he deemed a threat to Japan.

"You are the Sakurazukamori," said the tall, lush woman who appeared before Seishirou. She paused dramatically before introducing herself, "I am Kanoe."

"Why should I care?" Seishirou pointed out. He had been tempted to kill her quickly but she had identified him. That made him a little curious.

Kanoe straightened even more, thrusting the front of her chest enticingly at him. "The Foreordained Day is at hand. You are one of the Seven Chi no Ryuu. I am gathering you all to prepare for the battle against the Seven Seals," she said, tossing her hair back to reveal a symbol on her forehead.

Seishirou was a little impressed in spite of himself as he wondered just how she managed not to have her clothes fall off her entirely. He couldn't resist a little smirk at how blatant she was. Yet, he held his hand. He knew the symbol on her brow marked her as a yumemi, which probably meant that she knew he wouldn't be doing her any harm, or why would she be confronting him. But he would not be dictated to. Calmly, he lit a cigarette and inhaled. "Even if I am one of the Dragons of Earth, it is of no concern to you."

Her eyes widened slightly at the rejection, and she licked her lips. "Even though I am not one of you, I serve as an advisor. I know more about the coming battles than you do, and with my guidance, you can win," she whispered, sashaying closer. He caught a whiff of her heavy perfume, and smiled slightly. She was another predator, and his respect for her rose, along with his instinctive dislike.

"That's assuming I care about the Foreordained Day," Seishirou said, smiling blandly at her. "I've lived most of my life without worrying about it, and I don't intend to change now," he told her.

She rested her hand on his shoulder, and her long, sharp nails were too close to his throat for comfort. "You're afraid to face your destiny, Sakurazukamori-san?" she purred, leaning in to speak into his ear. "That doesn't sound like the assassin that all of Tokyo should fear."

He laughed as her, grabbing Kanoe's white hand in a bloodstained glove, and squeezing it, hard. To her credit, she didn't flinch. "I have… other concerns. I have no intention of dropping them for something as petty as the end of the world."

Kanoe's eyes narrowed. She was obviously not used to people denying her anything. Seishirou found small amusement at being able to do that. His was a contrary character. Even as a child, he did what he willed, which was probably why he ended up making that bet with Subaru despite every good sense telling him he should not have done so. 

For amusing him, Seishirou decided to let her live. The hard look in his eye softened as he released her; making her fully aware just how close she had skirted the edge of death. "Ja ne," he called back flippantly as he exited.

Kanoe glared after him. Tossing her hair back, she stalked off back to her lair. She entered the cool room that was deep underground in the basement of the government offices. "Satsuki," she called.

The throbbing hum that was Beast stilled. A hatch opened and the girl perched atop the huge machine looked down. Wires retreated from her skin as she detached herself and gracefully leapt down from the super computer. Kanoe had seen the sight often enough not to be disturbed by it.

"Yes, Kanoe?" Satsuki asked, sounding monotone.

"I just met another of the Angels… The Sakurazukamori."

Satsuki's dull eyes seemed to light up slightly. "The Sakurazukamori? Is he coming here?" she asked.

"No. He claims to have…. other concerns."

"He doesn't want to take his place as an Angel?" 

Kanoe ground her teeth in frustration. "So he says. I want you to do your best to figure out what his 'other concerns' are. We'll have to change his mind. He can't avoid destiny!"

"He sounds interesting. I don't think he will bore me," Satsuki replied contemplatively.

Kanoe's voice was dry as she remarked, "That is such a good thing to hear. I wouldn't want you to feel bored." Kanoe caressed Satsuki's face gently before she swaggered out the room.

*

Subaru's mind was troubled as he traveled back up the elevator with his grandmother. She was looking at him, unsure of what to say about the strange and dark portents Hinoto had revealed to them. Subaru looked down on the ground, wondering just what choice he was supposed to make. Suddenly he felt a desperate wish to escape - from destiny, from the need to fight. He really did not want to hurt anyone. 

"Subaru-san, will you be all right?" Lady Sumeragi asked.

Subaru was abruptly brought back to himself. "Yes, grandmother. I think you shouldn't stay in Tokyo any longer. Please go back to Kyoto."

"What about Hokuto?" she asked, her eyes filled with worry.

"I…" Subaru dropped his eyes, unwilling to explain that he believed that his sister had a boyfriend and would be unwilling to go. "You know her. She's stubborn- she won't leave. Besides, come the Final Day, no place will be safe."

His grandmother nodded. "I will leave, then--you don't need more targets. The Angels will not play fair- never expect them to. They will strike at those you love, and it's only because your sister can protect herself that I allow her to stay. You should consider telling her the truth, though, about your destiny. Had she been more powerful, she would have been clan head, and she would be playing your role."

He nodded. "I'll tell her, when the earthquakes begin. I've warded her place as well as I can, and her place isn't on any major Kekkai. Should the Angels start succeeding, I'll send her to you… but for now, I'm very certain she will not agree to leave."

"Be safe, Subaru-san. And beware the Sakurazukamori," his grandmother said just before she turned left, out onto the street, leaving her grandson alone. 

Standing there in the afternoon sun, Subaru couldn't stop himself from shivering at the mention of that title. It was so near to Seishirou-san's family name. Subaru couldn't help thinking about the man he was involved with; the one who was currently courting him so gently and kindly. An intense longing to see him suddenly seized Subaru, but he gulped inwardly when he realized that one day he would have the task of introducing the vet to his grandmother if things continued progressing the way they were.

__

After the Final Day, he thought_. I'll stall until then…. Because she'll either be very happy that I protected the world, or we'll all be dead._

As if his thoughts had summoned him up, a voice called his name. "Subaru-kun!" Seishirou waved at him as he jogged up.

A brilliant smile transformed Subaru's face. All sober thoughts of destiny and choices and the Kamui fled his mind. "What are you doing here, Seishirou-san?" he exclaimed in surprise.

"I was filing some papers at the government offices nearby and was amazed to catch sight of you! Is your business finished? Will you go for lunch with me?" Seishirou asked hopefully. 

Subaru was reminded of his empty stomach. He smiled gratefully and nodded. 

"How did your meeting go?" Seishirou asked. "Or am I not allowed to know?"

Subaru's gaze dropped, wondering how he would survive a year of keeping the secret of the Foreordained Day from Seishirou. He wondered what he would do when he received injuries from the upcoming battled over Kekkai. He knew it would be a matter of when, not if. Subaru had enough self-awareness to realize that his pacifistic nature, despite his training, would make it hard for him to kill anyone who fought against him. The problem was this attitude would get him killed.

"Subaru-kun?" Seishirou prompted when Subaru didn't answer for a few minutes.

"Oh? Oh- I'm sorry, Seishirou-san! I got… distracted. The meeting went well enough, I suppose… I just wish I didn't have to deal with it." Subaru fumbled about for an answer.

Seishirou smiled and wrapped his arm around Subaru's waist. "Some people are born to greatness, Subaru-kun. It's a hard destiny, but you'll do splendidly, no matter what fate throws at you," he promised reassuringly.

Subaru stiffened in spite of himself. The last thing he wanted to hear from Seishirou was talk about fate and destiny. "Maybe," he replied shortly.

Seishirou moved his arm over to rub Subaru's shoulder reassuringly, earning a grateful glance from the younger man. Seishirou knew exactly where Subaru had just been. It was no secret that the Dreamgazer, who directed the Japanese government, lived under the Diet Building. As the Sakurazukamori, he had enough links to the dark side of the government to know about her. Seishirou knew Subaru had just been similarly propositioned as he was by Kanoe, and was a little curious as to what the yumemi had revealed to him. It obviously wasn't about him being a Dragon of Earth, since Subaru hadn't jumped up and attacked him on sight. 

"You know you can tell me anything, but you don't have to if you don't want to," Seishirou told Subaru with his best friendly smile.

Subaru looked on the verge of saying something but held back at the last minute. "Perhaps, but not today, Seishirou-san. I promise I will tell you. Soon," Subaru said sadly. There would be no keeping such a terrible secret from Seishirou much longer but for now. He simply wanted to put thoughts of the end of the world from his mind. 

Seishirou seemed to be thinking hard as they walked down the street, his arm still resting around the younger man. It was a sign of how distracted the onmyouji was that Subaru didn't notice any of the looks they attracted. All of a sudden Seishirou stopped, jerked Subaru out of his preoccupation.

"Seishirou-san?" He asked curiously. "I'm sorry if I'm ignoring you, maybe-" he began to apologize, hoping he hadn't offended the man too badly.

"Look in that window," Seishirou said, pointing to one of the smaller men's boutiques. 

Subaru's eyes widened. "Has Hokuto-chan gotten into you?" he asked, immediately catching onto what had caught the vet's attention. 

Seishirou laughed easily. "Hokuto-chan would never dress you in that. It's not outrageous enough," he said. Seishirou tilted his head thoughtfully at Subaru and added, "But it would look really good on you."

Subaru shrugged. He didn't care much for clothes. It was simply easier to allow the people in his life to dress him as they wished. He just didn't understand their collective enthusiasm to make him wear things. "If... if you say so, Seishirou-san," Subaru replied doubtfully.

"Come on," Seishirou said as he tugged at Subaru's wrist towards the entrance.

"But Seishirou-san, I don't need any more clothes. I have plenty," he protested while holding onto his hat and staggering forward with Seishirou from the momentum.

"Yes, but I haven't bought you anything yet," Seishirou said.

Subaru's protests wilted. "Fine. But… green? I mean, who wears a…" he sighed, realizing the question was ridiculous coming from someone dressed in a modified hakama, cropped top and tie, with a coat made of metallic red fabric.

Seishirou laughed as a salesperson approached them. "We'd like to see that jacket you have in the window… in a size small," Seishirou said, as he looked Subaru up and down.

The woman smiled at the two men, obviously enraptured by the devastatingly beautiful pair they made. "Coming right up!" she said, bustling off.

"Seishirou-saaan…" Subaru whispered, turning bright red. "I hate clothes shopping!"

"I'm sorry," Seishirou said contritely. Turning appealing eyes on his friend, he added, "Please bear with this for a little while? For me?"

Subaru sighed. _Put that way, can I refuse?_ So he stood there stoically and watched the sales assistant remove the jacket from the rack and hand it to Seishirou.

Seishirou dramatically swung it out and held it open, gesturing Subaru to try it on. Subaru slipped his red coat off, carelessly throwing it on a chair. Then he let Seishirou help him put the jacket on. 

Seishirou carefully patted at Subaru's shoulders and brushed his arms down his sides to get the lines to fall out properly. Then he turned Subaru around to take a good look at him.

"It's perfect," Seishirou said quietly. 

Subaru blushed slightly while Seishirou placed his hand on Subaru's shoulder and guided him over to a mirror. The full-length mirror was three-sided, designed to let a person view himself from every angle. Subaru had the strangest feeling of falling as he stared at the three Subarus and three Seishirous behind them. Still, Seishirou was right. The jacket suited him very well.

It was bright, emerald green, the same impossible shade as his eyes. It was a basic trench coat design except for the material. The shiny onyx buttons were made of some high-quality material, and matched his hair perfectly. As he studied his reflection and felt the light pressure of Seishirou's hand, he knew he'd end up buying it.

He took one last look at himself in the reflection. Hmmm, Seishirou did have a good eye. Carefully slipping it off, he said softly to the sales assistant, "I'll take it." 

A hand closed over his, prompting Subaru to look up in surprise into Seishirou's earnest amber gaze. "I'll buy it for you. I've been wanting to give you something for the longest time," the older man said.

"I co-couldn't possibly," Subaru stammered. The coat was beautiful and well made, which meant it was correspondingly expensive. Subaru felt bad letting Seishirou to spend so much on him. 

"Don't worry. I may be a humble veterinarian, but I have very few expenses. Please let me buy this for you?" 

Again, there was that beseeching, earnest look. Subaru caved like house of cards under it. He nodded. He wondered if this was how it was going to be for him, that he was never going to be able to deny Seishirou anything he wanted, ever.

~~~~~~

Notes:

Aishuu: A _hakama_… I'm so fascinated by them! The pleats in the traditional _hakama_ represent five virtues: benevolence, justice, manners, wisdom and trustfulness. It's appropriate for Subaru to where this day, no? Also, Seishirou meets Kanoe… yes, she seems a bit slutty, but when doesn't she? Still, she's a bit more complex then her first appearance suggests.

Xandra: Whee, things are moving along. Both sides are preparing for the Foreordained Day. Hinoto is being obscure. Whether she's lying to Subaru or not, its up to you to decide. There is lots of foreshadowing , in particular please note Subaru's special place by Kamui's side. *rubs hands in glee* And that green jacket is going to be one special coat. Watch out for it in future chapters.

Aishuu: I like the jacket, but let me tell you, designing outfits around it is damn hard. Since TB is happening concurrently with X, Subaru's grandmother is not paralyzed. Finally, you will see this version of Subaru is at the same place that TB Subaru is on the Sakurazukamori… he doesn't remember the Bet. 

Coming up... the first battle begins. 


	5. Enter the Earth's Dragon

The Writing Team of AXQA presents: **Paradigm Shift (**Axqa_1@yahoo.com)

Disclaimer: The characters in X and Tokyo Babylon belong to Clamp. We're just very happy to have the chance to try them out in alternative scenarios. This is written purely for enjoyment, no profit is being made from this story.

Chapter 5 - Enter the Earth's Dragon

__

January 7

Satsuki sat inside Beast, entranced by the 0's and 1's that raced before her. It had taken her nearly a week to track the Sakurazukamori, something that was unheard of where she was concerned. In retrospect, it shouldn't have surprised her. The Sakurazukamori was used to keeping secrets.

Still, even he was no match for Beast. Beast would find him and it did, eventually. The chase he led her on was a long and merry one, and for the first time in ages, Satsuki felt truly alive. If this was what it meant to be an Angel, she was all for it. For once, the perpetual boredom that threatened to envelop her constantly was nearly forgotten.

The shadowy Sakurazukamori was a mythical bogeyman hypothesized in the Japanese underworld. No one ever knew who he was. Anyone who did: died. He was death; that was a fact. Satsuki considered Kanoe had been illogically bold in approaching him. Satsuki had been surprised to see her escape with her life, but Kanoe was a player in the coming Apocalypse that called for a level of boldness all in itself.

The request to track the Sakurazukamori interested Satsuki. She had not expected it to be a hard task. Getting down to it, however, her technology had been met with magic and for a while had been stymied. That alone raised Satsuki's estimation of the Sakurazukamori. Yet, even he could not hide forever. There were always physical trails and he was human, which meant eventually he had to surface somewhere electronically. 

So Beast found him and Satsuki almost laughed out loud when she saw who he was: an unassuming veterinarian. There was absolutely nothing marking Sakurazuka Seishirou out from the ordinary, save his name. In hindsight, it should have been obvious. The Sakurazuka clan had long been associated with the mysterious Sakurazukamori, and its rivalry with the opposing Sumeragi Clan was legendary. Yet, even Beast had difficulty cutting through the layers, and when she learned about what his 'other concerns' were…

Satsuki did laugh aloud. Her laugh was dry and cracked from disuse, but the irony of the situation amused her. The way he was messing with the mind of the innocent leader of white onmyoujitsu was a treat to watch, and she almost didn't report his identity to Kanoe for fear of losing her entertainment. Reluctantly, however, she acknowledged that Kanoe needed to know. This was only the beginning of the great game, and Seishirou's manipulation of Sumeragi Subaru, while engaging, was minor in the grand scheme of things.

"So the Sakurazukamori is involved with the Sumeragi clan head. That's why he's not interested," Kanoe mused when Satsuki told her. "Yuuto, is this not most amusing?"

The tall blonde man was in the midst of pouring tea for Satsuki. He handed Satsuki a delicate porcelain cup. Turning fluidly to Kanoe, he replied, "I agree, Kanoe. But since the Kamui has not surfaced, does it really matter?"

"I suppose not," Kanoe said languidly. "It's not of paramount importance at the moment. But the Sakurazukamori is too powerful an Angel not to make an ally."

Yuuto sighed inwardly as he passed Satsuki a piece of pastry. He just knew he was going to be coerced into exerting himself for Kanoe. She was high maintenance and he never could refuse a pretty woman. "True, but interfering with his plans has been known to be fatal to anyone who has ever done it," Yuuto pointed out calmly.

Kanoe nodded, conceding the point while she took a sip of her tea. "Yes… but he's never been up against an Angel before." She raised her eyes and considered the two Angels she had already gathered. "Perhaps…" she said, trailing off, her eyes lingering on the computer genius.

"Beast says that the Sakurazukamori would simply teleport away, should it approach. It needs to be someone who can confront him in person," Satsuki said.

"No, we don't want to confront the Sakurazukamori again. It would not do to antagonize him. But perhaps we could remove the obstruction to him performing his duty..." Kanoe said thoughtfully, tapping a well-manicured finger to her lips.

Satsuki spoke up matter-of-factly. "The Sakurazukamori appears to be fully occupied with the Sumeragi. He will not be interested, Kanoe."

Yuuto did not like the expectant gaze that Kanoe directed him. He sighed, knowing she wanted him to volunteer, or life would be very unpleasant for him in the near future. "What would you like me to do, Kanoe?" he asked with feigned cheerfulness.

Kanoe's expression changed into a sultry look promising future delights. "Would you be so kind as to take care of the Sumeragi for me? You don't have to do it yet. As you say, the Kamui has not appeared and the Sakurazukamori's chase of the Sumeragi is very amusing. I think it might be interesting to see an Angel at his play..."

Yuuto stared into her dark eyes, and knew the wisest course would be to say no. The Sumeragi was the Sakurazukamori's toy, and breaking other people's toys was just bad manners. Nevertheless, when Kanoe looked at him like that…

"I'll see what I can do. In a month's time, perhaps?" he suggested. "The Kamui will be arriving shortly thereafter, and you'll need time to draw Sakurazuka-san into your plans."

Kanoe thought for a second. "Sounds like an excellent idea."

No one bothered to consult Beast. Had they, it would have told them that they were about to make a very bad mistake.

*

__

February 18

It had been a long and tiring day for Subaru. The hour was late and all he wanted was to go home. He entered the subway carriage and found it pleasantly empty, though considering how late in the evening it was; he shouldn't have been surprised. Only one other person was inside, and he lifted his head to look curiously at Subaru when he walked in. A quick welcoming smile marked the man as being friendlier than most urbanites living in Tokyo.

Subaru, being well brought up and naturally polite, nodded back and took a seat opposite to him. He really didn't feel like conversation and hoped the stranger wasn't going to make any. That hope proved futile when the man spoke up.

"Isn't it surprising that the Tokyo subway can be so quiet?" the man asked, smiling amiably.

Subaru, who traveled often by subway, nodded at the truth in his words. He was very used to being jostled and pushed while taking public transportation. It was a problem that came with being so slight and self-effacing. "Yes, it's unusual. Tokyo is such a big city with so many people, it's rare that one ever finds oneself alone," he agreed.

"But that's why I like Tokyo - the activity of this city and all the people. I count myself fortunate to meet fascinating people all the time," the stranger said, bending his head in Subaru's direction. "I'm Kigai Yuuto, a humble salaryman."

"Sumeragi Subaru," Subaru replied politely. He studied the man opposite him. Yuuto was dressed in a fashionable suit and Subaru would never have guessed he was a salaryman. He looked more like a model or someone involved in public relations. He had charisma practically rolling off him, and Subaru wondered how he ended up in a dead-end, though secure job. 

"It's nice to meet you, Sumeragi-san," he said. His gaze wandered over Subaru's attire, the way most people eyes did, though unlike them, he made no effort to hide it. There was a boldness to him that was unusual, but Subaru found it refreshing. "I must say you have an amazing sense of style."

Subaru sighed. Today he was dressed in white and silver, with a snowflake motif. Fitted white jeans were fastened with a silver belt, which featured a snowflake buckle. His shirt was of very fine white wool, and Hokuto had woven small silver snowflake designs into it, which glittered when the light caught them right. His gloves were white as well, but the stitching was silver, and unashamed to be seen. A white fluffy furgora lindale hat completed the outfit, complete with a silver snowflake pin, which was jauntily pinned to one side. It was one of the most subdued sets of clothing he'd worn in years. 

"My sister designed it. She's a fashion designer, and I'm her live mannequin, apparently," he said with the air of someone used to giving this explanation, his lips quirking in amusement. He clutched the green jacket Seishirou had given him, well aware that Hokuto was getting frustrated by the limitations his insistence on always wearing it were putting on her fashion designs. She had to cut back on some of her colors, and not being able to make him wear other jackets was driving her nuts. 

A little glimmer of wariness was surfacing within Subaru. He wondered why Yuuto was constantly smiling at him so oddly. A stray idea surfaced to offer an explanation. _Surely, he's not trying to flirt with me,_ Subaru thought, dismayed. Yuuto was handsome in his way, but Seishirou was the only one Subaru had ever been remotely interested in. 

Yuuto laughed gaily, tossing his flaxen blonde windswept bangs back. "Ah, the lengths we men go through to keep our women happy," he said. "But I suppose it's all worth it in the end." 

"I suppose," Subaru agreed dubiously. He looked up to see the train pulling to a stop at his station. "Uh, this is my stop. It was nice to meet you Kigai-san."

Yuuto got up along with him. The man smiled charmingly at Subaru, saying, "It appears I am to stop here, too." Yuuto glanced at him thoughtfully. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Certainly, but a quick one?" The doors of the train would open and close with amazing speed, and woe betide the passenger who didn't move quickly enough to make their stop.

"Do you believe in something after death?" 

Subaru's eyes widened slightly. He'd heard talk like this before, from total strangers, and from the spirits of those who had committed suicide and didn't realize they were dead. He peeped at the salaryman from beneath long lashes as he thought over the question. Subaru's natural empathy kicked in as he stood beside the man and he tried to show how much he believed the truth of his words. "I'm an onmyouji. I know there's something more."

"I'm glad you think that way," Yuuto replied dryly. His lips thinned in a small mirthless smile, giving Subaru only a moment's warning that something was terribly wrong. For some reason, Subaru's finely honed reflexes kicked in and he was barely able to dodge the swift slash of Yuuto's knife. 

The train door opened and with a quick backward flip, Subaru vaulted away from the man. His mind was racing as he tried to put a little distance between the two of them. Confused questions raced through him. _Is the man crazy? Why is he attacking me for no reason whatsoever?_ Aloud Subaru cried, "Why are you doing this?"

Yuuto gave a short laugh. "You could say Fate, Sumeragi-san. I've been trying to avoid you and yet here you turn up, right before me. Who am I to say no when Fate wills that our paths cross?" 

Subaru frowned. He had no clue what Yuuto was talking about, though it sounded suspiciously familiar. Again, he danced away from that slashing knife even as he groped about for an idea of how to subdue the man. He concentrated, and raising his hands, threw some of his _ofuda_ at Yuuto, activating them. Fluttering wings dived at Yuuto, who dodged aside easily.

Subaru's eyes widened. Kigai Yuuto wasn't an ordinary man. He could see and defend against the glowing white _shikigami_.

"I wanted to make this as easy as possible, Sumeragi-san. This isn't personal, but it has to be done. If you insist on fighting, though, we can do things the hard way." Yuuto's smile remained disconcertingly polite while he dropped the knife. It clattered to the floor with a cold ring, and Subaru's stomach dropped while he wondered what Yuuto was going to do next.

"Trying to kill someone is always personal, Kigai-san," Subaru said, inching towards the train door. To his distress, the door chose that moment to shut, and the train leapt forward, throwing him off-balance.

The other man must have been waiting for that moment, because he chose that second to strike. Yuuto took a prodigious leap that was impossible for an ordinary man, and launched a weapon that flew towards Subaru too quickly for him to see. More through luck than anything else, he managed to evade it. The hard metal pulverized the pillar next to him, sending a shower of concrete dust up into the air. 

Subaru fell into an awkward roll and tried to regain his feet. Yuuto's speed told him that he couldn't underestimate the man. Something trickled down his cheek. He made a quick check with his hand - blood. 

The onmyouji shrugged it off as a minor scratch. Another quick dodge allowed Subaru to maneuver closer to the staircase. Taking his chance, he pelted up to the surface, with an intently murderous Yuuto hot on his heels. 

Subaru whirled around, exerting his powers to leap up to a higher vantage ground. There he took a moment to access the situation. Hastily he sent another flock of _shikigami_ fluttering in to attack to buy himself time.

Yuuto stood below, his lips pursed in a thin smile. With a casual wave, he swung his weapon around him, forming a barrier against Subaru's attacking _shikigami_. 

Subaru's eyes widened when he saw it. That was no ordinary weapon. _Impossible! Has the battle for the end of the world begun already?_ Quickly Subaru put his hands together and concentrated. His star-shaped shield expanded to envelop everything for miles around. The resulting silence in the Kekkai was astounding.

Yuuto halted for a moment. "A Dragon of Heaven?" He exclaimed in surprise. "You're one of those… who are…" He stared at Subaru as if the onmyouji had just debarked from a spaceship.

Now Subaru was confused. "I assumed that's why you're trying to kill me!" 

Yuuto continued to stare at him, jerking his weapon to a stop. The implement was a bladed _nunchaku_, and Subaru already knew that unusual as it was, Yuuto was an expert with it. 

"Hmmm… what a tangled web we weave… or allow others weave us into," Yuuto mused. "Nice Kekkai," he commented, admiring the Seal's work. "You do realize that I'm going to have to kill you to get out of here now."

Subaru's eyes widened. The implications of his duty as a Dragon of Heaven were slowly sinking in. He was definitely not ready for a fight to the death right now. However ready or not, this was what he was going to have to do.

Yuuto leaped up towards Subaru, lashing out with the sharp dagger end of his whip. Subaru ducked. The tip whistled past him and cracked explosively against the wall inches from where he was standing. Half of the low building collapsed from the force of the blow. Subaru ignored the damage, as all would be restored when he retracted his Kekkai or it would be beyond his worry if Yuuto got the better of him. 

"There's no Kekkai here, not at this station!" Subaru tried to point out, sketching a protective pentagram in the air. "The Kamui hasn't even arrived in the city… why are you fighting with me?" he asked, hoping to talk the Dragon down. _Please, I'm not ready to fight! _Subaru thought.

Yuuto wore the pleasant smile that he hadn't lost since the beginning. His voice was conversational, as though he was discussing nothing more consequential than the weather. "I was told to remove you… the fact that you're a Seal is merely a bonus. Besides, I refuse to start something I can't finish. It's sloppy, and a good public servant abhors a mess," he said. Once again, he lashed his _nunchaku_ out, and again Subaru easily evaded, calling on abilities he hadn't needed before to jump across the tracks. 

Apparently, Yuuto had anticipated him. "Got you!" the _Chi no Ryuu_ announced, and Subaru's eyes widened in horror as Yuuto's whip landed in the building about ten feet from him… and with a loud CRACK started to bring it down.

With a supreme effort, Subaru leaped out of the way, but didn't manage to move far enough. A stinging pain on his leg let him know he was in deep trouble. He fell to the ground, clutching the limb. The flesh was torn open from a sharp piece of rubble, and a check on his ankle revealed the damage. He was not going to be able to put much stress on it. However, bad though the situation was, Subaru was NOT going to give up. He had too much at stake. Determinedly he reminded himself of Hokuto-chan, Seishirou-san and all the people in Tokyo who were counting on him. 

Subaru took himself to task, setting his jaw. He just wasn't fighting back properly. He had to get serious. He took a split second to consider his options. Dodging was out now. Quickly he incanted a spell, setting a five-pointed star in a defensive barrier before him. A shower of sparks bathed him in an eerie light when Yuuto's whip smashed against it. Rapidly reaching out with his full power, he threw a psychic blow in the form of an _ofuda_ at Yuuto.

The blast caught Yuuto off guard, knocking him sideways and into a building. He had not been defending himself carefully since the white onmyouji hadn't been attacking seriously. Frowning, Yuuto pulled himself from the rubble, trying his best to restore his unruffled appearance. Blood was flowing from his arm. Yuuto's fervor for killing the Sumeragi was dampened and he was beginning to rethink going through with Kanoe's order.

The two Dragons stood regarding each other. They were at a bit of a stalemate. 

"Next one who attacks, I kill," a cool voice said, cutting through them. 

Both men's heads whipped around to see an attractive young woman dressed in a high school fuku, standing on top of a building, a sword in her hand. She was gorgeous, but something about her calm eyes said that she had the ability to carry through with her threat.

"Who-who are you?" Subaru stuttered, forcing the pain in his leg to the back of his mind.

Yuuto looked at her as well. "I'd like to know that as well."

"I am one who is involved in the Foreordained Day, as are you," the girl said, studying them closely. "Would you proclaim your sides?" 

Yuuto's charming grin returned in full force. "The lady puts me a bit off guard. A three-way fight is just so unnecessary. How about you take down your barrier and we finish this some other time, Sumeragi-san? Like you stated earlier, there's no Kekkai here, so this battle is becoming pointless."

Subaru was more than willing to take his Kekkai down. He heaved a sigh of relief; glad he didn't have to fight anymore. Placing his hands together, he retracted the huge shield that was his symbol and looked around. All the damage from the battle was miraculously erased. 

Yuuto directly a patently false smile at the other two and casually sauntered off. "Ja ne," he called back flippantly.

Subaru remained where he was, still tense and alert for any attack. He kept a careful eye on the girl, who didn't appear to be making a move to leave. "How did you manage to enter my Kekkai?" Subaru asked her curiously. He knew his Kekkai was powerful. No other Dragon should have been able to enter it save the Kamui, and he was sure this girl was not Kamui.

"I was here all the time. Hinoto-hime sent me," the girl replied blandly.

Subaru's brow raised at the name. So, the dreamgazer was keeping an eye on him. He hoped he hadn't given a totally bad impression of his competence tonight. He knew he hadn't done everything that he was capable of doing in the fight with Kigai Yuuto and he was ashamed.

The girl's next words confirmed his embarrassment. "You are far too kind, Sumeragi-san. I understand you're an onmyouji. If so, you should have several offensive spells at your disposal, and you used none of them. You should have defeated him - instead, you let him nearly kill you, since you didn't want to hurt him." Her dark eyes lingered on him. 

"We weren't fighting over a Kekkai," he protested, a bit lamely. "He attacked me for no reason that I could figure out… he seemed surprised that I was a Seal!"

The girl blinked in confusion, but she didn't let him off the hook. "If anything, that should have made you fight harder. If he was willing to attack you unannounced and for no reason, who knows who he'll attack next? He's not sane-- and the next victims most likely won't be Seals. They won't be able to defend themselves." Her cold pronouncement rang in his ears. "Their death will be your fault."

Subaru was rocked by her words. Their inherent truth sent an overwhelming surge of dismay through him. His lips quivered at the thought that he could have prevented an innocent death, even if the death had not happened yet. Yet somehow, he knew he was never going to be able to kill first and ask questions later. His fight with Yuuto could all have been a misunderstanding. Death had a certain finality and Subaru was not prepared to cross that particular threshold yet.

"If I did as you said, then I should be attacking you now. I don't know your name. You're a total stranger and you've threatened me," Subaru replied with a narrow stare. His words were bravado and he knew it. He was not in a condition to be fighting anyone right now. Gingerly he tested his leg. He wasn't sure if it was broken but the throbbing pain let him know he ought to get it looked at.

The dark haired girl bowed haughtily. "I'm Kishuu Arashi, one of the seven who are Dragons of Heaven."

Subaru blinked at her. There were only a few people powerful enough to join in the battle for the sake of humanity. Crossing out the most obvious candidates, it appeared he probably knew of this girl. "You're the hidden maiden of Ise," he concluded. 

She nodded slowly. "And you're Sumeragi Subaru, thirteenth head of the Sumeragi Clan, who lead the onmyouji of Japan." She ran her eyes over him from top to bottom, and though her face remained serene, he knew he failed to pass her test. "You are powerful, but your reluctance to use those powers is a flaw which may cause a Kekkai to fall someday."

He didn't say anything, concentrating on slowing his breathing to cope with the pain in his ankle. It felt as if he had broken it, and though as a Seal, his healing powers would be heightened, that didn't mean he didn't feel the pain. Unable to face more of her accusations for the moment, he said, "Excuse me, Kishuu-san. I need to go get my injuries treated."

She blushed slightly, and seemed a bit embarrassed, the first open emotion to cross her face. "I'm sorry," she said softly. "I forgot your injuries were bothering you… can I-" she began to offer.

He felt his heart soften towards her, and a smile found its way to his scratched face. "I'll be fine," he assured her. "I have a friend who lives near here, and he's a doctor."

Arashi seemed to accept his words at face value. "Then I shall leave you." She made as if to leave but turned around at the last minute. "Be careful," she cautioned rather reluctantly before leaving. 

Subaru stared after her. He wondered a bit about his fellow Seal. She appeared to be an enigma. A trickle of blood running down his leg and his aching ankle reminded him of his state. Sighing aloud, he limped away. _Hokuto is going to freak out when she sees me next_, he thought.

*

Subaru would have been surprised to know that a rather similar conversation was taking place a short distance from where he was. 

Yuuto had been doing his nonchalant best to return to his rooms beneath City Hall. He was not looking forward to explaining why he was late to Kanoe. However, he considered Satsuki might have informed her. Beast probably knew very well that a Kekkai had been raised this evening, and what Beast knew, Satsuki knew. 

He came to an abrupt halt when he sensed more than saw a presence. "I know you're there - why don't you come out?" Yuuto asked politely.

He wasn't at all surprised when Sakurazuka Seishirou materialized from the shadows, a large shikigami in the shape of a hunting bird perched on his wrist. The Sakurazukamori threw his wrist upwards, launching the bird up into the night sky. Yuuto lost track of it, though he didn't doubt that it was circling them. 

"Nice night, isn't it?" he remarked cheerfully, trying to ignore the look of sheer ice from the focus of Seishirou's gaze.

"Kanoe sent you, didn't she?" the assassin asked blandly. More than any passion or threats would have, his mild demeanor sent a chill down Yuuto's back. 

__

Oh, shit, he thought._ I'm about to become tree food if I don't do some fast-talking… the Sakurazukamori is thoroughly not happy with me._ "Oh I was just playing around, don't mind me, Sakurazuka-san," Yuuto said, turning his best vapid smile at the assassin. 

"But I do mind," Seishirou said grimly.

"Please accept my apologies, I had no idea you and that Seal were connected. He's a very entertaining person, and very pretty too," Yuuto remarked offhandedly. He was doing his best not to show any fear or give up any ground, knowing well that the hunter nature of the Sakurazukamori would pounce on any weakness.

Seishirou frowned imperceptibly. He would not underestimate this man. He was a fellow Angel and should have an equal amount of power. Seishirou had observed the recent battle from afar but was constrained from entering Subaru's Kekkai, not that he had any idea what he would do if he had been able to enter the Kekkai. He was not ready to expose himself to Subaru yet. 

"He is pretty, but he's marked as mine…" he said warningly. " Since you attacked him, and here, where there are no major Kekkai, I assume that Kanoe sent you to… remove what she believed was distracting me from joining her." Seishirou took a step towards the other Angel, and it was only through sheer force of will that Yuuto didn't attack or run, or do something else stupid.

"Ah but he's a Seal. Would it not be better for you to find amiable company among those with _similar_ interests?" Yuuto's voice turned suggestive. He marveled at Seishirou's powers of deduction. He had hit the nail on the head.

Seishirou waved away the question with a casual hand. "The company of those with similar interests is usually unable to hold my attention for very long. Surely a man of the world like yourself would agree that a little spice can make life so much more interesting?" Seishirou's soft voice held a distinct warning. 

Angels were supposed to be evenly matched, but Seishirou had been killing his entire adult life. Something warned Yuuto that an angry Sakurazukamori would win if he sought to oppose him now.

"Well, he's not that badly hurt," Yuuto said. "Since he's a Seal, he'll be healed by tomorrow- no harm done!" he pronounced, trying to make light of the situation.

"Yes. And that's the only reason I don't kill you now," Seishirou said, and the smile that lit his face was decidedly unpleasant. "Take a message back to Kanoe for me."

Yuuto opened his mouth to agree, but before he could say anything, Seishirou had him pinned to a wall, a strong hand around his throat in a manacle-like grip. It all happened so fast Yuuto didn't even see the assassin coming. Yuuto's tried to gasp for breath, but his airway was cut off.

"Sumeragi Subaru is my prey. No one is to interfere with me… the one who does, dies."

Yuuto kicked his legs in reflex as they dangled a good six inches above the ground. It was hard to remain unflappable in such a situation. Just as he was thinking of summoning some water to strike at the Sakurazukamori, he found himself dropped back to the floor. He brought a hand up to his neck and rubbed at it, eyeing Seishirou warily. He straightened as best he could and said a little hoarsely, "I understand."

Seishirou slipped his dark glasses back on, all while keeping an intense watch on the other man. However, now that the tension was over, his voice was almost genial. "I am a Dragon of Earth, but I will decide my own actions. You might consider not letting a woman dictate what you do," he advised Yuuto.

Yuuto smiled his trademark disarming smile. "But I am such a soft hearted person that I have never been able to disappoint a woman," he said. Then a wary expression entered his eyes, "Nevertheless, I shall give your suggestion serious consideration." 

The Sakurazukamori raised a brow. He didn't care to continue this conversation any further. Still facing the other man, he took a step back and let his illusion mask his departure.

*

Subaru's feet were dragging pitifully during the short journey to Seishirou's home. It wasn't that he was physically exhausted but rather his soul was wearied. Arashi's words echoed around in his head, weighing layer on layer of guilt on him. So it was when the door to Seishirou's home opened, he found himself unable to hold back his tears before the man.

"Subaru-kun! What's the matter?" Seishirou exclaimed, shocked at the sight of a quietly crying Subaru. 

"I fell down a flight of stairs," Subaru mumbled lamely. It was the best excuse he could think of off the top of his head. He wanted to tell Seishirou about the fight with Yuuto, but he didn't want the older man dragged into the battles that had just begun. Seishirou may know onmyoujitsu, but he would be no match for someone of Yuuto's caliber and it stood to reason that the other Dragons would be just as powerful.

"Did you?" Seishirou said, and though he raised an eyebrow, there was no pressure or accusation at the obvious lie. "I'm glad you came here. Come inside, and let me see if I can do something about those injuries."

Subaru gave him a grateful smile. "Thank you," he whispered. He was caught by surprise when Seishirou swung him up in his arms and carried him over to the plush, black leather couch. "Seishirou-san!" he cried surprised as he was plunked onto the seat.

"Anything for my Subaru-kun," Seishirou called as he disappeared into the bathroom, presumably to get medical supplies.

Subaru's head went limp against the back of the couch. Casting those spells and raising the Kekkai had taken a lot out of him, and Yuuto had managed to hurt him. Though the wounds weren't life threatening, he knew he had to look a proper mess, and Seishirou was probably worried.

__

I shouldn't have come here, he thought, looking down at his ruined clothes. The white clothing he had worn only made the blood stand out more dramatically. Miraculously, his green jacket had survived unscathed, but he knew he looked like he'd just been on the wrong end of a schoolyard bully's ire.

"Come, will you help me get you out of your clothes, Subaru-kun?" A soft touch on Subaru's shoulder roused him temporarily.

Subaru allowed Seishirou to remove his jacket and pants, leaving him in his shirt and boxers. While Seishirou examined his bloody leg, he miserably wrapped a blanket about himself.

"Your ankle doesn't appear broken. But it looks like a bad sprain," Seishirou commented academically. He was inwardly impressed at Subaru's healing rate. There was something to be said about the advantages of being a Dragon. He set about carefully cleaning the blood from the gash and binding the ankle up. By the time he'd finished, he looked over at Subaru who was listing heavily into the sofa, hiding his face forlornly. 

"Subaru-kun?" he said softly. "Is there something you want to tell me?" he prompted.

Subaru looked at the vet's kind eyes, and wished he had the courage to tell him the truth. "I…" he tried, then lowered his dark lashes, unable to say anything else.

Seishirou moved over onto the couch, and Subaru just stared at him as the vet slid next to him. "You need to rest," he instructed. "Wounds like that need to heal." His hand grabbed Subaru's right shoulder and eased him down, and before Subaru knew it, his head was pillowed in Seishirou's lap. "Whatever happened tonight, Subaru," he said gently, "I'm sure it wasn't your fault. You need to forgive yourself."

Subaru made no reply. He was fighting hard to hold back a fresh bout of tears. He felt like a downright failure at the moment, and Seishirou being so kind and understanding made him want to break down entirely and wail from his misery. _No, I can't, I have to stay strong. _Struggling a bit to shift upright, he grabbed hold of Seishirou's shirt and said, "I should be going home."

Seishirou simply looked amused. "Nonsense, you'll stay here tonight. You're in no condition to go anywhere." With that, he gathered Subaru up in his arms again and walked to his bedroom, gently settling Subaru down beneath the soft covers. "Don't worry, I'll watch over you," he said, as he moved a hand over Subaru's eyes, sending him into a peaceful slumber.

Straightening up, he examined the graceful form sunk deep in repose. "Go to sleep, Subaru-kun.... I'll watch over you, as closely as your shadow."

~~~~~

Notes:

Aishuu: For those of you not into computer speak, all computers run on a computer language based in 0's and 1's… thus, Satsuki in the Beast. According to my "deep thoughts" issue of Animerica, Yuuto's weapon is a bladed _nunchaku_. Always wondered what the hell that thing was called, didn't you?

Xandra: I'm so sorry for making Subaru a rather pathetic weepy uke in this chapter. Sigh, he really isn't cut out for fighting, plus the guilt trip Arashi laid on him was unfair. Anyway the scene of him crying on Seishirou's shoulder was in the TB canon. Fate, or rather the two of us, are apparently bowing to the inevitable. Oh yes, I wanted a lemon after this scene but Aishuu refused. *sniffle* This chapter has taken me two weeks to revise. I kept working on it, and then losing what I wrote when my computer crashed. It's enough to make a grown woman cry. 

Aishuu: Arashi comes off as the standard "bitch Arashi" unfortunately, but I think she was less than impressed by Subaru's abilities… considering he wasn't fighting to kill, I would be, too. I went overboard with the outfits again… but, oh, my hat catalogue! If you're interested here's the website for what Subaru's hat looks like: http://www.millerhats.com/kangol_catalog/kangol5.htm

Xandra: Credit goes to KrystalRose for being our beta. She's become an important part of our Triumvirate. Hugs!


	6. Dreams of Darkness

Xandra and Aishuu, the Writing Team of AXQA presents: **Paradigm Shift **

Disclaimer: The characters in X and Tokyo Babylon belong to Clamp. We're just very happy to have the chance to try them out in alternative scenarios. 

Chapter 6 - Dreams of Darkness

Sumeragi Hokuto was sleeping. It was her favorite thing to do, and she did it whenever possible. Hokuto loved to sleep, not because she was lazy, but because it was her only chance to see the person she loved.

Had she been an ordinary girl, she might have been thought insane, giving up ten years of her life to literally chase "the man of her dreams." But she wasn't. She may not have been anywhere near as powerful as her younger brother, but that didn't mean she was any slouch where onmyoujitsu was concerned. She knew that Kakyou was real, and she felt his power.

She knew he was a yumemi. Around him, sometimes, if she concentrated, she could see the slight swirls of energy whirling, darkness and light converging and opening portals before him that no mortal man should see. He saw things that he shouldn't have, but that was okay… without his power, they never would have met.

She recalled that fateful day. She only thought of taking a nap, an unusual occurrence given her boundless energy and her need to fill all her time by doing something, anything. More often than not, she was engaged in taking care of Subaru, but on that day, her brother had gone back to Kyoto and she was at loose ends. She had ended up falling asleep out of sheer boredom. Amazingly, she found herself in a most bizarre dream. 

A beautiful young man, with looks to rival her brother's, had been astonished to see her. She remembered sensing an immense loneliness in him and the power that flowed around him. Accurately guessing him to be a yumemi, Hokuto had set about trying to cheer him up, the way she always did when she met anyone in need. She had not figured on him falling in love with her, nor she eventually coming to care for him to the exclusion of all others, save Subaru. 

That was one of her two major regrets about Kakyou - not telling Subaru. It was the first secret between them, though she was sure that he was keeping a few tidbits of his relationship with Seishirou from her. It stung a bit to realize that her twin, her other half, couldn't know everything about her; but some things were too personal to share. 

The other thing she regretted was never finding him in real life, and thus never having the chance to hold him. Dreams were wonderful things, but they lacked substance. She wanted to truly know him, wake up beside him, and make him smile all the time, rather than in just the stolen moments they had together.

As she fell deeper into REM sleep, she left the world of her dreams and entered his. She wasn't a dreamwalker, but she had enough of the Sumeragi power to make the journey, and Kakyou beckoned her each night, or during her now ritual afternoon siestas.

Today, Kakyou presented her with the very beautiful vista of Mount Fuji. She was in a flowering garden in the shadow of the snowcapped mountain. 

"Kakyou!" Hokuto squealed with her usual cheerfulness. 

The answering smile of welcome from her boyfriend brought a renewed surge of gladness to her heart. Sometimes she wondered if she deserved the sort of almost worshipful treatment that Kakyou gave her. He spread his arms open and she raced forward to give him a hug. She'd knew that he appreciated every little bit of human contact she ever gave him.

She felt his heartbeat and knew that it was only an echo of his sleeping body. Still, in the Dreamscape, he was always the most real thing there. Everything else was too perfect, and while his beauty was stunning, the sadness in his eyes took it to sublime levels and marred it, a dichotomy that injured her soul. 

Kakyou clung to her for a long moment before pushing her back slightly so he could study her clothing. He was always enchanted by the way she dressed. One of the things Hokuto loved most about him was that he understood more than anyone, except her brother, why she did it.

Then his golden eyes widened in surprised and… fear? 

"Hokuto, have you been raiding your brother's closet again?" he asked, and though she knew he was trying to be playful, she sensed an urgency to his question.

"I don't need to! I dress him myself…" she began, but trailed off as she glanced down at her clothes to see what he meant. Strange, she thought. She had meant to dress in her formal kimono, the one with green and gold printed on black satin, but for some reason she was wearing her brother's shikifuku. She raised a fine-boned hand, touching the pristine white material in contemplation. "How very weird," she remarked.

A frown creased Kakyou's fair brow. He bent his head down as he thought about the situation. He whispered to himself, "Is it time already?"

"Kakyou! What are you not telling me?" Hokuto demanded. Something was up with her beloved. 

Kakyou lifted his golden eyes, startled. For a moment, he had forgotten she was there with him. His eyes turned serious and he shook his head. "It's nothing to do with you, Hokuto," he said firmly.

Hokuto was so surprised by his sudden resolute manner, that she gaped at him. She had always been able to cajole him into telling her everything. The knowledge that he was keeping something from her left her dumbstruck.

She spun away from him, striding over to where he had set tea out. Kakyou was very fond of tea, and he and Hokuto and shared numerous tea rituals. "Hai, Kakyou-sama," she murmured, sinking to the ground, demurely lowering her eyes and folding her hands beneath the long sleeves of the her clothes. She watched him through her long black lashes, carefully concealing her sparking eyes. 

"Hokuto?" he asked nervously. The formal way she addressed his name caught him by surprise, for they had long since discarded the use of honorifics with each other.

"Yes, Kakyou-sama?" she said. "Can I get you some tea?" 

He watched her, confused, unable to make sense of her sudden turnabout, and why she wasn't shrieking at him for an answer. Then, her uncharacteristic behavior made sense: Hokuto was angrier than she'd ever been with him before. He'd never kept anything from her and this was the first time her formidable temper was about to be turned on him. 

Kakyou quaked inwardly. For a moment, he was tempted to relent and tell her everything. But he couldn't. The burden of the knowledge of the future was his alone. Telling Hokuto would change nothing and only upset her. Kakyou had been trying to avoid the whole issue of the upcoming battle for fate of the world, but it seemed that now he could no longer ignore it. Still, he was glad for any knowledge of the future that he held. He was determined to change some of it if he could, though he had never known his dreams to be wrong before. 

This was all for Hokuto, he told himself grimly and forced himself to sit before her as she went through the motions of the tea ceremony. In spite of himself, he was impressed at how well she did it, but then Hokuto did many things well. 

"Here," she said, handing him the tea gracefully. She sank back down and went silent.

"Hokuto…" he said, setting aside the ceremony. He simply couldn't stand to have the one person he loved angry with him. "Hokuto… you are the thing I cherish most, you know that? You are my special person."

She raised her eyes, dropping her modest pretense. The way he emphasized the last two words made her realize that he was about to tell her something profound, even if it wasn't what she wanted to know from him. "And you're one of the most important people to me, Kakyou. You hold the half of my heart which isn't tied to my destiny as a twin."

He smiled slightly. "I know… and I love you even more for that. But there's something coming, and I can't tell you about it. If you knew, you might try to do something, and it…" He glanced away, unable to meet her clear, unhesitant gaze. "It might get you killed."

A rustle of cloth alerted him that she was no longer opposite him. Kakyou suddenly found himself enfolded in Hokuto's embrace. He leaned into her shoulder, relishing the little time he had with her for what it was worth. 

"Silly Kakyou," Hokuto said gently. "I wish you would trust me more, but I shall do my best to understand and not pester you about it anymore. Just know you can tell me anything." Her temper had faded away in the face of his misery. 

Kakyou nodded, and wrapped his arms around her waist. It was amazing, really. He may have been the one destined to fight for the fate of the world, but she was the one with all the power. Straightening slightly, he smiled down into her eyes, and cupped her chin. "I know… and one day, I hope there is nothing I have to keep secret from you."

She gave him an impish grin. "Well, just don't tell me what I'm getting for my birthday!"

"That's tomorrow, right?" he asked politely, even though he knew the answer.

"Yup!" she chirped. 

His smile turned mysterious. "I'll have a special dream in store for you, then, tomorrow night."

The look on her face softened. "Every dream with you is special, Kakyou," she answered softly. "I just wish we could meet in person…"

He shook his head. "That would endanger you. If we meet as things are, you will die," he replied grimly. "Neither your power nor mine can protect you from those who want to control me."

"I know," Hokuto said sadly. "You're just like my brother, trapped by your positions. I wish I wasn't a useless girl sometimes. "

Kakyou clutched her tighter. "No! You're not a useless girl! You're the most wonderful, most extraordinary, most capable person I have ever met!"

Hokuto laughed and tapped Kakyou's nose playfully. "You do wonders for my ego, Kakyou."

Kakyou looked at her, thinking about how fortunate both he and her twin were to have her love. He was not jealous of sharing her with Subaru, though his heart chilled at the foreknowledge that they would be placed on opposite sides of the predestined struggle for the earth. How would Hokuto react if she knew this? Kakyou smiled to himself. She would probably want to reform him. 

"What are you smiling at?" Hokuto asked.

"You, of course. You're beautiful," he replied, neatly avoiding the question.

"I should be the one saying that to you," Hokuto said cheerfully. It was always nice to be complimented. People tended to overlook her for the more stunning beauty that was Subaru. It was as if it were _odd _for a man to look so beautiful, so he got all the attention. 

However, Kakyou knew her gaiety was feigned. Seeking to distract her, Kakyou leaned closer and pressed his lips to hers.

She tasted liked cherries and sunshine, something he found intoxicating. Hokuto's soft lips were pliant under his, and as he parted her mouth with his own, her arms came around him, dragging him into sweet, intoxicating kisses that drugged his senses. For him, this dream was more perfect than reality.

Hokuto sighed and gave herself to him, tangling her fingers into his long, golden hair…

…only to find them around the full-length body pillow on her bed.

She sat up slowly, feeling the now-familiar warmth of tears spilling down her smooth cheeks. It was rare that she didn't wake up crying lately. Beside her, her alarm clock rang annoyingly, and she grabbed it roughly, throwing it violently across the room where it shattered against the opposite wall. "Damn you, Kakyou… why won't you let me help you?" she whispered.

*

__

Ding Dong!

The sound rang out in Subaru's apartment, prompting Sakurazuka Seishirou to dash out of the kitchen, waving a hand at the younger man to remain where he was on the couch. 

"Stay!" he ordered sternly. "I don't want you getting up and stressing that ankle."

"Su-ba-ru!" Hokuto's voice sounded over the intercom even as Seishirou opened the door. The sight of him standing there with his shirtsleeves rolled up, ladle in hand brought a cheeky smirk to her face. "Sei-chan, you're looking very domestic. But don't you know it's customary to get married before you move in?"

"Sometimes people like to try things on a trial basis, Hokuto-chan," Seishirou replied wittily with a pleasant smile. "Though I've yet to get Subaru to agree…"

"Sei-Seishirou-san!" Subaru stammered.

Hokuto laughed and bounced in. Today she was dressed in a tailored black men's business suit, with black sunglasses perched on her head. The double-breasted jacket was relatively sedate, except for an extremely ruffled white collar, and white cuffs that trailed the entire length of her hand. "Happy birthday, baby brother!" she said cheerfully, skidding to a stop, in front of the couch.

"Happy birthday, big sister!" he caroled back at her. Like her, he was dressed almost normally, wearing green Capri pants and a green turtleneck, and white gloves, which she recognized from the day before. Apparently, he either forgot to change them (not unheard of because he was something of a flake, sometimes, according to her thinking) or he had been around Seishirou too long to remove them privately. The only touch of oddness (aside from a man in Capris) was the black-leather shoulder harness he wore over his shirt. Considering he'd never held a gun in his life, not to mention the fact that guns were illegal in Japan, Hokuto had always considered it an ironic fashion statement… but there was something truly appealing about a man with a gun....

Seishirou perked up in surprise. "Is it your birthday, Subaru-kun? Why didn't you tell me?" he asked in mock disappointment.

"Oh, sorry, I really didn't remember it. I don't really mark this day because..." Subaru trailed off. The Sumeragi had always kept the birthday of their clan head a secret for fear of it being used against him, but Subaru didn't consider Seishirou someone to keep a secret from. Instead, he thought more of not wanting to trouble him. Subaru blushed when he thought of how Seishirou had been taking care of him. Ever since last night when he fell asleep in Seishirou's bed...

"I shall try my best to cook you something special. It's too bad I can't bring you somewhere nice, but with your ankle like this, I don't think you'll be going anywhere for a while," Seishirou said glumly. He turned to Hokuto. "I hope you weren't thinking of bringing your brother out, Hokuto-chan?"

Hokuto took a good look at Subaru. The sight of the bandaged ankle struck her. "WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU?" she shrieked. 

Subaru met her eyes, and opened his mouth to lie but decided not to. Instead, he shook his head, dropped his eyes to his fingers and crossed them. She nodded, recognizing the sign they had used when they were children. It was the sign that it was confidential clan business, even to her. "I fell," he said honestly enough and then went silent.

Hokuto went grim, her own eyes distant for a second as she reflected on something. "Make sure you don't fall again," she said softly. She knelt down beside him and enfolded him in a protective embrace, gathering his head against her chest. "You're bigger than I am now, and I can't pick you up…" she stated, the undertones sorrowful and pained.

Seishirou watched the exchange, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth. Twins were fascinating, interacting on so many levels other people couldn't understand. "Yes, Subaru-kun is surprisingly clumsy for someone with so much natural grace," Seishirou inserted. "He needs to stop walking around with his head in the clouds."

The indignant "Seishirou-san!" brought a wide grin to Seishirou's lips. Really, Subaru was so easy to tease. 

"Well, I'm going to see about getting dinner done. Are you joining us, Hokuto-chan?" Seishirou inquired.

"Please, Hokuto-chan, stay?" Subaru asked plaintively. He was grateful for the heart-warming presence of two of the most important people in his life this evening. Subaru knew if he were left alone, he would simply stew over his faults again and sink into depression. Hokuto was wonderful at pulling him out of a morass of self-doubt.

Hokuto perceptively picked up the need in his voice and nodded. "Of course! What better way for me to spend my evening than with two handsome gentlemen!" she proclaimed dramatically. 

Subaru smiled at the two of them. "I wish I could help…"

"It's a good thing you can't!" Hokuto announced. "Your cooking seriously leaves something to be desired." She pulled her sunglasses off her head and plopped them onto Subaru's face, positioning them so they rode low on his nose. Then she winked at Seishirou. "When you two get married, you'd better consider hiring a cook or doing all the cooking yourself. It's the head in the clouds thing again," she announced. "Subaru can burn water."

"Hokuto-chan!"

"Well, you can!"

"It was only that once!" Subaru protested, sinking deeper into the couch.

Seishirou looked at them curiously. "How can you burn water?"

Hokuto cackled. "You leave the most expensive pot in the house over the burner and forget about it… and when you come back, not only have you burned all the water off, but you've also burned the bottom of the pot! The smell took a week to air out!"

Seishirou's delighted laugh brought a flush to Subaru's cheeks. Strangely enough, he did not mind Seishirou laughing at him. On some level, he liked the teasing, though he was never able to control his blushes.

Seishirou leaned over Subaru and tucked a blanket around him. "Make yourself comfortable and take a nap. You're tired out. A special dinner will be ready soon."

Subaru smiled gratefully and stretched out on the sofa, letting his eyes slide close. He had spent a restless night, tossing and turning in Seishirou's bed, afflicted by self-doubt. Seishirou had finally come back in and held him before he finally could rest peacefully.

A slight twinge of envy pricked Hokuto as she observed the ease with which the two men behaved around each other. She wished for a day when she could be with Kakyou that same way. She shook off the sudden melancholy and ran after Seishirou. "Sei-chan! I want to help!"

"It's your birthday, too, Hokuto-chan… I can cook for all of us," Seishirou said gently. "How about you go take a nap as well?"

"I don't want to sleep anymore," Hokuto said firmly. There was a firm set to her jaw, and her eyes flashed briefly before returning to normal. Most people would have dismissed it, but Seishirou was not most people. He filed the moment away in his memory to reflect on later, and nodded down at her.

"If you're sure- I mean, I don't have a gift for you, so I'd like to do something special…" he offered, in his most pleasant vet persona.

She gave him a chipper nod, bouncing into the kitchen ahead of him. "Positive! How about you and I spend some quality time together? We've never really talked without Subaru around, and I've been meaning to!" She raced over to the pantry, swinging the door open and bending down to burrow through a low drawer.

Seishirou watched her, clinically reflecting that she had a lovely figure. She and Subaru were yin and yang, and he wondered why he didn't feel the urge to hunt her as well. She had power; not as much as Subaru, but she would most likely be able to put up a decent struggle… and she was undeniably beautiful.

He stared at her, trying to work up the need to kill…

…and felt nothing.

"Here!" Hokuto called, springing up like a jack-in-the-box. She threw an apron at him, and he caught it reflexively as she placed a maid's hat on her head and tied on overly frilly white apron of her own. "Put it on!" she commanded.

He obeyed, glancing down in amusement as he noticed that "Kiss the Cook" had been stitched in golden thread into the otherwise plain white apron. "Not my style," he said.

"I think it's cute… it brings out the amber in your eyes. Besides, it'll embarrass Subaru," she laughed. Then in her usual over-energized state, she bounced onto another topic. "I think I shall bake a cake! What's a birthday celebration without cake?" Hokuto exclaimed enthusiastically. 

"Hokuto-chan is so talented!" Seishirou commented, his eyes wrinkled close in arcs of good humor.

"Oh course! I have to prepare to be a good wife!" she exclaimed cheekily, but something in her eyes showed a hint of pain at her single state. Turning quickly away, she rummaged through the shelves and began gathering ingredients for a cake. With surprising swiftness, she soon had the confection poured into a tin and stuck in the oven.

"What are you preparing?" Hokuto asked curiously when she was done. Seishirou had been busily chopping away at the other side of the kitchen.

Seishirou set aside the knife and pointed at the counter full of food. "Sukiyaki! Does Subaru-kun like it?"

"If you're the one preparing it, I'm sure he will like it very much," Hokuto said slyly. 

"Subaru-kun is so kind I'm sure he'd like it if anyone prepared it for him," Seishirou demurred. "After all, I'm just a humble veterinarian. He's the truly special one." The statement was designed to flatter, and he waited for Hokuto to laugh and try to sell her brother as a bride again.

The woman didn't react that way, though. Instead, she moved over to him, and his hunter's instincts kicked in, warning him that suddenly, without warning, Sumeragi Hokuto had become a threat. Her green eyes turned hard and she leaned in close to him. "I love my brother very much, Seishirou," she said quietly.

"I know you do," he said cheerfully, ignoring the small voice in his head that was telling him to strike at her before she could strike him.

Her hands were almost too fast for his eyes to follow; had he not been the Sakurazukamori, it would have appeared as though she had teleported the knife into her grip. She grinned at him dangerously. 

Seishirou was not a fool. Part of being a hunter knew when to stay still and wait. This he did now, schooling his face into an absolute harmless expression. Hokuto apparently had a point to make.

"If you ever make Subaru cry, I will KILL you," she said flatly. The knife was pressed right into Seishirou's jugular, her other hand resting firmly on the back of the handle. 

If Seishirou pressed forward, even for a minuscule bit, blood would be drawn. He didn't. Instead, Seishirou looked at Hokuto soberly, almost daring her to do it. The two of them stood frozen in that moment, one fiercely determined, the other blandly calm.

How long they would have stood thus became irrelevant when a smell began to flood the kitchen. The mood changed suddenly. "Hokuto-chan, what's that burning smell?" Seishirou asked puzzled.

"EEEEEHHH!" she yelped, dropping the knife and almost cutting him unintentionally. "I turned the oven on too high!"

Seishirou deftly caught the knife, sparing himself an emergency room visit. "Apparently Subaru isn't the only Sumeragi who can't cook."

"Just shut up," she muttered under her breath. "Or I might just kill you for the fun of it."

__

No, Hokuto, he thought,_ that's my job._

~~~~~

Notes:

Aishuu: Least SOMETHING good came from me burning that pan…

Xandra: Yep, that's my Aishuu, *hugs*, the one who can burn water. Okay first view of Kakyou. Lots of foreshadowing to the upcoming fight that is X. And Hokuto in Subaru's shikifuku! Doesn't it just send chills up your spine? Naturally Subaru's birthday was too good an event to pass up, and we HAD to use that wonderful scene in the Tokyo Babylon manga that saw Hokuto threatening Seishirou. This is Paradigm Shift, the fates (yes the two of us) will not let these three deviate too far from their assigned roles. Sigh.

Aishuu: Oh, come now, Xannee. Things aren't THAT bad. We haven't killed anyone… yet. Subaru and Hokuto may look the same, but they're very different personalities. I hope that was conveyed here! This really was Hokuto's chapter… Tokyo Babylon was about the three of them, and Paradigm Shift hasn't forgotten her! As for Kakyou…. **Hanyan** He's cute, isn't he? More of the Dragons of both Heaven and Earth will be coming! After all, X is noted for its huge cast!

Xandra: *Meep* I love Hokuto. The whole point of this fic is for me to let Hokuto live beyond her 16th year. Whether she survives beyond her 25th, remains to be seen. *evil author cackle* As for Kakyou, you might wonder why he's a Dragon of Earth. Well, he has a very good reason, which will be explained soon enough.

AXQA: All we can say is *shimmer shimmer* at Krystal for being an awesome beta. As always encouraging reviews can only spur us on, so please do leave a note if you're enjoying this fic.

Coming up: The very first view of Kamui! And Subaru meets some of the other Seals.

If you're interested, more of Xandra's fanfiction, the rest of Paradigm Shift and fanart can be found here: http://www.midnightrevolution.org/quicksilver/xandra/xandraindex.htm

And Aishuu's wonderful stories can be found here: http://www.midnightrevolution.org/quicksilver

To contact both authors: (Axqa_1@yahoo.com)


	7. Positioning the Pawns

The Writing Team of AXQA, comprising of Xandra and Aishuu presents: **Paradigm Shift - Chapter 7 **(Axqa_1@yahoo.com)

Disclaimer: The characters in X and Tokyo Babylon belong to Clamp. We're just very happy to have the chance to try them out in alternative scenarios. This is written purely for enjoyment, no profit is being made from this story.

Chapter 7 Positioning the Pawns

__

March 28, 1999, in the district of Shinjuku... 

Yuuto sighed heavily. 

He was annoyed. This was becoming something he had taken to doing quite frequently these days. As usual, Kanoe had cajoled him into doing something suicidally stupid. Yuuto knew he simply had to get the nerve to say no to her once and for all, but Kanoe knew just which buttons to push to get him to agree to her. In his private moments, he admitted that giving in to her had _some _benefits. An appreciative Kanoe was very pleasant to have around.

Still, Yuuto had serious doubts about this latest harebrained scheme of hers. She had been rather astonished, then pensive, when he had informed her that the Sakurazukamori was involved with a Dragon of Heaven. She had thought on it for a few days before bringing out a plan, one which involved him, of course. Yuuto shuddered delicately at the latest idea she had cooked up as a result. 

Yuuto was to hang around the Sumeragi until the Kamui showed up. She had murmured something about the fates showing her sister that those two were somehow connected, and if Yuuto had the chance, he was to try to get the Sumeragi to join them. Just how she expected him to try to recruit the Sumeragi to their cause was beyond him. He wouldn't be surprised if the man attacked him the moment he showed his face. They already had one battle to their credit, and he was willing to bet that the Sumeragi had been replaying it constantly since February – heavens knew he had. If he had been just a LITTLE bit quicker…

Plus there was the BIG catch. Sakurazuka Seishirou had already warned Yuuto off, and he was rather unwilling to test the Sakurazukamori's patience on the matter. Not that Yuuto wasn't convinced he wouldn't be able to hold his own against him if push came to shove, but Yuuto thoroughly disliked getting into needless battles, especially with someone technically on the same side. Fate was an inevitable thing, and the Sakurazukamori was going to get pulled into the battles to come whether he liked it or not. Yuuto preferred not to have the assassin mad at him when that happened.

So what was he to do? It was the proverbial rock and a hard place.

Consequently, Yuuto found himself standing atop a pine tree sighing heavily, for what appeared to be the hundredth time that evening. He was ready to be sensible and go home--the Sumeragi wasn't going anywhere, since he was wrapped up, Yuuto supposed, in the arms of the Sakurazukamori.

A voice broke into his reverie. "Who are you, mister?" 

Yuuto woke from his musings to observe a young man in a baseball cap, sitting on a rooftop across from him. The man was probably in his late teens or early twenties, and was wearing one of the most brilliantly colored shirts Yuuto had seen. Still, there was something about his cocky grin that raised Yuuto's hackles. "Oh, don't mind me," Yuuto said flippantly. "I'm just passing through."

"A casual pedestrian wouldn't be standing on top of a tree," the young man retorted. He leaned forward, tapping his fingertips against his knee as he cocked an eyebrow accusingly.

"Rooftops aren't exactly sidewalks, either," Yuuto replied pleasantly. He decided that subtlety would be wasted on this man, and laid his cards out. "I assume you're watching the Sumeragi?"

The young man blinked slightly in confusion. "Ah… no, actually, I was on the way to the store for some milk, and noticed you standing there." He grinned guiltily, placing his hand on the back of his head as his cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "It's easier to get around this way."

"Talk about abusing your powers…" Yuuto murmured in admiration. The sheer chutzpah it took to use powers that way made Yuuto grin. _Heaven or Earth? _he wondered. 

"I prefer to think of it as using what I've been given," the other man said in a slightly defensive voice. He smiled at the other man. "The Sumeragi's inside?" he asked curiously. "Why are you watching him? He's not going to be the Kamui…"

Yuuto snorted. He shook his head and smiled knowingly at the teenager. He was not about to reveal trade secrets to a stranger. Nevertheless, this young man was interesting. He was obviously a player for the upcoming battle, too. The only thing to determine now was which side he was on, not that it mattered. If he was a Dragon of Earth, he was just as likely to attack Yuuto as embrace him, from the example set by the Sakurazukamori. "_Plays well with others" just doesn't seem to be a job requirement for us,_ Yuuto thought with a bit of resignation, thinking of Satsuki before looking at Seishirou's apartment.

Yuuto shuddered at the thought of another "ally" of the caliber of Sakurazuka Seishirou.

"My, aren't we being rude? I don't even know who you are?" Yuuto inquired cautiously. It was time to determine allegiances, and maybe if this man was of Earth, he wouldn't be psychotic. _One of the others has to be somewhat sane…_

"Forgive me for my rudeness! I'm Arisugawa Sorata… and since the Sumeragi's in there, and you don't look like a miko, and the firemaster is supposed to be a woman… well, are you a windmaster?" he asked curiously, though his voice was full of doubt. "You look a little bit too flashy to be from that clan…"

"Kigai Yuuto," Yuuto said, smiling pleasantly. "And no, I'm not…"

Sorata heaved an overly dramatic sigh. "I'm guessing you're one of the Chi no Ryuu, then…" he said, before coming to his feet. "It's not even April, and I'm already meeting one of you… well, I guess I'll have the honor of being the first Seal to fight!"

"Sorry. The Sumeragi and I fought about two months ago…" Yuuto told him crushingly. 

Sorata raised a brow at that piece of information. "Then it looks like it's better late than never for me to get a piece of you!" Sorata declared gaily. 

"Hmmm, you don't by any chance have some over-protective boyfriend who will come after me if we fight?" Yuuto asked half-jokingly. It would be just as well to make sure he knew the lay of the land before he got into it this time. _The last thing I need is another enemy of the caliber of the Sakurazukamori after me!_

Sorata, not understanding, took that as an insult. He snorted and stuck his hands together in concentration. A huge rectangular Kekkai began to spread out. A gleeful joy seized Yuuto. Here at last was a chance for him to engage in a fair fight. He laughed out loud as he dodged a bolt of energy from the teenager. 

Caught inside the Kekkai, a slumbering Subaru stirred and began to awake instinctively at the presence of the Kekkai's field. However, before he could return to consciousness, an alert Seishirou was there, muttering his strongest cantrip to send Subaru back into his dreams. "Sleep, Subaru-kun," he murmured. "I can't have you rushing out to join this fight. This shall be none of our business." Inwardly, he was rather annoyed with Yuuto, who appeared to be a particularly active Chi no Ryuu. "I doubt that it's mere chance that the Kekkai is so close that Subaru and I are caught inside it…" he concluded, rising to his feet and leaping out of the window, searching for a better vantage point to watch the battle. 

The fight was progressing well. Yuuto was smiling and had drawn his weapon, ready for anything. "Seems the only way out of here is for me to kill you…" he said. "And this time, I refuse to let a jealous boyfriend get in my way!"

Sorata went bright red. "I don't swing that way! Though I'm sure you've dealt with more your fair share of jealous boyfriends trying to kill you…" He launched another barrage of electrical energy in a shower of sparks at the Angel, who merely jumped over to the side of a building, defying all the rules of gravity.

"What can I say? Women like me…." Yuuto said, before taking over the offensive. He threw out the bladed whip, aiming at Sorata's chest.

The whip struck in a dizzying blur but Sorata was able to sidestep the blow nimbly. A shower of concrete shattered to his right, crumbling off the building and crashing to the ground in a thunderous rush. Both fighters ignored the immense crash of a collapsing building from their exchange. "That's a most interesting weapon," he observed. "This is going to be such fun!" His face reflected his mischievous joy, but around his fingertips, energy sparkled that was anything but playful.

Yuuto laughed in reply. "Thank you. I don't get to use it very often," he called to Sorata as he jumped away, "You have more destructive urges than I expected. Rather liberating, isn't it?" he remarked.

"I'm a pacifist! All this blowing of things up is in the name of duty. If I can have some fun, then all the better," Sorata proclaimed proudly, while summoning a barrier to protect himself against the sharp edge of Yuuto's blade, which deflected high. "Besides my Kekkai is perfect, so everything will be all right!"

Yuuto kept laughing in amusement. "Only if you survive!" he reminded. His whip returned to its circling position, and he considered the younger man's stance, looking for an opening. He was getting rather reluctant to do permanent damage to such an entertaining opponent.

Just how the two of them could have resolved this fight, they would never know. The two of them were evenly matched, though Yuuto wasn't going all out to kill this boy, intending only to injure him as he had done the Sumeragi before him. Why would he kill one of the Dragons of Heaven when the Kamui hadn't even shown up? The Final Day was barely set in motion. Yuuto could tell Sorata wasn't seeking his annihilation; the two of them were simply engaged in a game of parry and thrust. Their little game, though, was swiftly reducing the area within the Kekkai to ruins.

Seishirou watched with interest, wrapped in an illusion of nothingness. Both of the combatants were skilled, and the battle could go either way… not that he cared. Personally, he was hoping that they'd kill each other, though there'd be a slight problem explaining to Subaru how a Kekkai fell while he was sleeping.

__

Dammit, I'd better hope the Seal wins, he thought, disgruntled. 

It was a slight shimmer at the edge of the Kekkai that warned the three Dragons that something was about to happen. Sorata was just about to cast another lightning bolt at Yuuto and noticed Yuuto's distraction when the older man turned slightly away. "Hey," he called. "It's rude if you don't pay attention to your opponent in a fight!"

Yuuto pointed to the disturbance. "Um… is that supposed to happen?" he asked nervously. "I thought no one could enter or leave?"

Sorata pulled up short. The sensation of power bending the walls of his Kekkai apart was unlike anything he had ever felt before. It was like something inside of his mind was being twisted to its will, and he hadn't even been aware of it until someone else had pointed it out first. He looked around in confusion and wondered if his Kekkai breaking. He didn't see how it was possible as he wasn't even hurt. "This is really weird," he said astonished. 

The two antagonists perched on their respective pieces of rubble, frozen in anticipation. Slowly a small form pushed through the barrier. He walked calmly into the scene of destruction, unsurprised by the sudden change of location. The boy appeared to notice Sorata and Yuuto staring at him in amazement within seconds. They had both felt an instinctual reaction to the incoming teenager. He looked around at the devastation calmly, and even from the distance, they could see his eyes narrow. "You two…" he said in a voice, though soft, was surprising in its intensity. 

"Us two?" Sorata echoed, waggling his finger at himself and Yuuto with a panicked sweatdrop on his head. 

Yuuto merely blinked at the youth, unable to think of anything coherent. This was… impossible.

The teenager met both of their eyes at the same time somehow, and they felt themselves drawn towards the power and rage in the violet depths that dragged them in so deeply that they couldn't breathe. "You're a part of it!" he growled, and casually raised a hand, sending a blast of energy tearing towards them. It struck hard, sending both stunned men reeling off their feet.

Neither of them had been expecting an attack, so neither had braced themselves. Yuuto managed to roll to his feet easily, but Sorata took a heavy fall before an awkward handspring helped him regain his balance. They looked around, trying to find the intruder, but it was too late. The Kekkai shimmered, and they were alone again.

Yuuto shook himself, trying to process what had just happened. He was agitated enough to forget his fight with the Seal, and even to inquire after him. "Are you all right?" 

Sorata was holding onto his arm oddly. He accepted the unspoken truce Yuuto offered. "The power of that young man… is he part of the End of the World?" he whispered, and for the first time, it seemed all the laughter had melted away from his eyes, leaving only a rival whom Yuuto was wise enough to fear.

Yuuto studied the transformation for a second, but decided to answer. "It looks like it. Could he be the Kamui?" Yuuto mused. Then he noticed Sorata's condition. "If he is, it appears we've both gotten on his wrong side," he said wryly.

"You're telling me," Sorata retorted, his good humor slowly reviving. He thought Yuuto was a good sport, even if he was a Chi no Ryuu. 

"Well, Sorata-kun, you do not appear to be up to continuing our battle. Why don't we postpone our fight for another time?" Yuuto offered in his most gentlemanly manner. He would not let it be said that he couldn't win his fights on his own. Besides, he wanted to check with Kanoe if she knew anything about the latest development.

"I… think that might be best. But if I see you anywhere near the Sumeragi, I'll beat the hell out of you!" Sorata said.

Yuuto blinked. "I thought you didn't know Sumeragi-san?" he asked hesitantly. He couldn't be mistaken about Sorata now, could he? _Just how many boyfriends did that fellow have anyway?_ Yuuto thought in exasperation.

"Nope, I don't. But you're my opponent now… if you get close to the Sumeragi, I don't want him to get the chance to kill you first!" Sorata said with a cocky grin.

Yuuto smiled in relief. "That sounds good to me. It seems like all the Angels and Seals are claiming opponents on the other side for themselves…"

Sorata blinked in confusion. "Huh?"

"Saa… you'll find out, if you live long enough," Yuuto said, waving a hand negligently. "Be a good man, drop your Kekkai so I can leave?"

Sorata narrowed his eyes in suspicion but realized Yuuto enjoyed being cryptic. He wouldn't give him the satisfaction of letting him see him totally baffled. Holding his hands together awkwardly, he retracted his Kekkai, heaving a sigh of relief when he saw the world restored back to its original state. He had never tested a Kekkai this intensively before, and was relieved that it worked the way it should have.

Yuuto spared him a final smirk and jumped down to the street. Dusting himself off carefully, he strolled away with a cheerful, "Ja ne."

Sorata glared after him before turning to leave the scene as well. 

A short distance away, Seishirou remained at his vantage, still hidden from both of them. He calmly lit a cigarette and smoked it for a while, contemplating the events. When it burned down to ash, he returned to Subaru's side to lift the sleep spell upon the younger man. 

"So, the Kamui has shown up. I wonder how upset you would be to know that you missed him, Subaru-kun," Seishirou murmured as he pressed a gentle kiss on the onmyouji's forehead. 

*

A week passed and Subaru remained oblivious to the fact the Kamui had arrived in Tokyo. He had a job to do, and was kept fully occupied. With the battles begun, the spirits were restless, resulting in more calls than ever to his family. He felt downright run off his feet by the upsurge. Hokuto had even taken some of the more minor cases, exercising her limited abilities just to give him a break, but many ghosts could only be laid by his powers.

Seishirou was the only thing that made the increased stress of his life bearable, substituting quiet late night dinners and rented movies for canceled dates, most of which Subaru fell asleep halfway through. Seishirou's endless patience and good humor made Subaru fall in love with him even more deeply, and sometimes he wondered when they'd bring their relationship past the kisses and light caresses they allowed themselves.

The end of the world might be upon them, and if they were to die, Subaru wanted no regrets.

However, it looked like Seishirou was never going to make the first move and it would be up to Subaru to do it, and that was where the problem lay. There was no way Subaru had the confidence to initiate anything yet. He was still painfully shy around the older man, and unsure of how to deal with being in a relationship. 

All these thoughts were running through Subaru's mind after he finished his latest job. He had a spare two hours before his next appointment, and decided to take a short break from the pressure of his life. The peace of a small park nestled deep in the heart of the city beckoned to him. Few people knew about it, for it was located on a less-traveled block that he had only discovered on a job a couple of weeks ago.

As he entered it, he noticed a young girl on a swing chatting away to a dog. The sight caused him to halt abruptly. That was no dog. The aura of power around the two was palpable. Cautiously he approached the pair. "What is his name?" Subaru asked tentatively with a smile.

The girl gasped aloud. "You can see Inuki?" she exclaimed in delight.

Subaru nodded. He reached forward carefully and allowed the inugami to sniff at his hand. The dog thumped its tail on the ground and looked at Subaru with wise eyes. "He's very beautiful, miss," he said quietly. He regretted what he was going to have to do, knowing that the girl must have loved this dog very much to create the inugami. "You say his name is Inuki?"

"Yup! I'm Nekoi Yuzuriha!" she chirped. "It's nice to meet you!" Her eyes wandered over his clothing curiously. "You're wearing the prettiest clothes!"

He was relieved that Hokuto had been in an innocent mood that day when she'd handed him his outfit, rather than a risqué one. He was still wearing the green jacket, but under it he wore black culottes, topped by a lycra black shirt that met the thick gold belt at his waist. On the front of the shirt she had embroidered the pentagram that had come to be the symbol of their clan with several shades of gold thread. The black mortarboard hat had gold tassels, and Subaru was constantly reminding himself to keep the tassels on the left side, since he had graduated with a masters. The soft gold shoes molded to his feet as closely as the matching gloves did. His clothing was effeminate and odd, but compared to some of what Hokuto had conned him into wearing, it was modest. 

"Thank you," he murmured. "My sister is a fashion designer. Sumeragi Subaru, at your service." He bowed.

"Pleased to meet you! Do you want one?" Yuzuriha said, waving a box of Pocky at Subaru. 

Subaru smiled kindly and shook his head. He was never much for snacks. Taking a deep breath, he decided to broach the subject of the inugami to the girl. "You must love Inuki very much, but you should let him go, you know. It's not good to keep your dog around as a spirit."

Yuzuriha's innocent eyes opened wide in astonishment. Then she burst out laughing. Subaru stared at her, wondering if her wits had gone south. Inuki sat there with a definite _expression of humor on his face. Subaru wondered if there was something here that he was missing.

"Oh, Subaru-san, Inuki isn't an ordinary inugami," Yuzuriha said, taking pity on the confused man after she managed to get her giggles under control. "I'm from the Mitsumine Shrine."

The confusion lifted from Subaru's mind. Mitsumine Shrine. That explained everything. He blushed at his mistake. Subaru examined the young teenager closely. If she was who she was, then she was also...

"You're one of those whose destined to protect the world," he whispered.

Her eyes widened. "How do you know?"

"Our grandmothers are close friends - we are born under similar stars," he told her. "I share your destiny." He bowed his head to her again. "Let's introduce ourselves again. I'm Sumeragi Subaru, thirteenth Clan head of the Sumeragi, leader of the onmyouji of Japan… and a Dragon of Heaven." He smiled down at the dog. "I apologize for not telling you properly before, but I thought I would have to banish your friend…"

The girl grinned at him. "You're an onmyouji! That's so cool!" Then she coughed, abruptly realizing that wasn't exactly the appropriate response to the formal greeting. "I'm Nekoi Yuzuriha, of the Mitsumine Shrine, and this is Inuki. We're here to serve the Kamui as Dragons of Heaven! I hope we work well together!" she said politely, before throwing herself at Subaru and wrapping him into a tight hug. "I'm so glad to finally meet one of you!"

Subaru reeled back at the force of her exuberance. It was only through his experience with Hokuto that he didn't end up falling in shock. At least not all the other Dragons were like the one he had met. His thoughts turned gloomy. Thinking of Kishuu Arashi made him feel terribly guilty and insecure. 

As if his thoughts had summoned her, Arashi appeared at the edge of the playground staring disdainfully at them. Sensing something important going on, Inuki turned around and gave a short bark at her. "Hello, Arashi-san," he said softly, gently disengaging from the girl's arms around him and moving so he was between Yuzuriha and the Ise miko. He didn't quite trust the mysterious Seal,

"Sumeragi-san," she said. She moved closer to him, and though the wind was attacking him and Yuzuriha, it didn't seem to touch the other girl's flowing black hair. "The Seals are gathering, awaiting their Kamui… hopefully they will be up to the task before them..." she said, trailing off as her cold eyes met his, making it clear that she felt he was less than adequate for the task ahead.

Arashi gave a slight nod to Inuki, and Yuzuriha smiled at her happily in response. "You're another Seal, too! This is so great! I'm Nekoi Yuzuriha! Would you like some Pocky?" Yuzuriha held her cherished snack out.

The miko blinked in slight bemusement, as the box of chocolate sticks was waved in her face. "Um, no… that's quite all right. I'm Kishuu Arashi."

Subaru couldn't help being inwardly amused, but he knew better than to laugh in Arashi's face. He thought she had enough against him already. "Why are you here, Arashi-san?" Subaru asked politely.

"Hinoto-hime would like to meet the representative of Mitsumine Shrine," she replied.

Yuzuriha hopped up and down at the prospect of meeting the infamous dreamgazer. She clapped her hands merrily. "You hear that, Inuki? We'll get to meet more people who can see you! Will Kamui be there?" Then turning to Subaru, she continued her questions in rapid fire fashion, "Subaru-san, will you come with us?"

Subaru opened his mouth to agree, but suddenly remembered his appointment. "I'm sorry, Nekoi-san, but I have a job to do. I can't miss it, not unless Hinoto-hime needs to see me in particular?" he asked, directing the question as Arashi, who shook her head in the negative. "Well, people are a bit jumpy about dealing with people in my line of work, and if I miss my appointment, they may withdraw their request."

Arashi said nothing, and her eyes were carefully blank, giving him no impression of her opinion on the matter, but Yuzuriha was clearly disappointed. "It's too bad you can't come with us!" She thought for a second before brightening. "I know!" Drawing out a sheet of paper, she scribbled something on it. "Here's my cell phone number - call me this week, okay? We can meet for lunch or something!" 

Subaru took it with bemusement. "Um, sure." He mentally added yet another obligation, and checked off another time he wouldn't be able to spend with Seishirou. It was a bit selfish of him, since Yuzuriha was nice, a fellow Seal, and new in town, but sometimes he'd like to have some private time. Still, he was such a kind person that his answering smile held nothing but sweetness and gave no hint of any disgruntlement.

Arashi directed a considering gaze at him before she turned away and walked off, Yuzuriha trailing behind her. Subaru could hear the young teenager chattering away at the silent girl. He shook his head and resumed his journey towards his appointment.

Out of Subaru's earshot, Arashi ventured a question. "What did you think of Sumeragi-san?"

The younger girl perked up happily. "He's so pretty! And he can see Inuki! It's so nice to come to Tokyo and meet so many people who can see Inuki!"

If Arashi was bowled over by the force of her enthusiasm, she gave no indication beyond raising an elegant brow at Yuzuriha. "Sumeragi-san has already fought one of the Dragons of the Earth," she stated.

Yuzuriha sobered and opened her eyes wider. "I'm glad to see he's okay then."

Arashi nodded and turned away, but not before saying under her breath, "Barely."

Whatever Yuzuriha was going to say next was forgotten when the two girls came upon a most unusual sight. Even Inuki faltered for a step at the vision.

A large teenage boy wearing a baseball cap and clashing clothes (which, Arashi silently had to admit, just didn't have the same flair that Sumeragi's outfits did) was arguing with a slight teenager wearing a black school uniform. The odd thing about the situation was that the older boy was being backed against a wall by the younger, who had energy flaring around him in uncontrolled rage.

"This… isn't good," Yuzuriha said. "Who… who is he?" she said more softly, her eyes round with wonder as she stared at the beautiful boy who radiated power and drew her like a moth to flame.

Arashi felt shaken to the core. She had known he was in town, but she hadn't seen him yet, hadn't expected him to be so young--or so angry. "He is the Kamui… Shirou Kamui." Hinoto had told her very little about him, save his name and that they would meet this day.

Yuzuriha looked dubious. "Are you sure he's the Kamui? He's awfully short," she remarked innocently.

Arashi didn't bother to reply. She supposed it was time for her to step in. It wouldn't do for Kamui to murder one of his Seals by mistake. "Kamui." Arashi's voice was low and calm. Saying the name had the effect of redirecting the full force of Kamui's attention on her.

"Who are you?" The violet-eyed teenager demanded. "Why don't you all leave me alone?"

The youth with the baseball cap assessed the two girls shrewdly. "I'd say they are also part of the battle for the Fate of the World too, Kamui." 

"I'm one of the Seven Seals! Nekoi Yuzuriha, at your service! And this is Inuki!" Yuzuriha spun around to indicate her companion before bouncing up to wave her snack in Kamui face. "Would you like some Pocky? You look hungry! People get unhappy when they're hungry!" She beamed at him.

Kamui blinked at her, utterly disarmed by her innocence. He'd been prepared to deal with shows of power, promises, and lectures on destiny, but offers of Pocky? He shook his head helplessly, unsure of what to do. It wasn't like he could blast such an innocent looking girl. All his instincts told him to run like hell out of there. He could feel the tendrils of fate inexorably drawing him closer towards something he wasn't sure he would like. 

The young man was busily smiling at the girls. "I'm Arisugawa Sorata, from Mount Kouya!" He introduced himself cheerfully. "And who might you be, gorgeous? You're not the Sumeragi-- he's a guy, and since she's got the inugami, I'd say you were from Ise. Am I right?" Sorata deduced. 

"Yes." The miko seemed entirely unimpressed. "I assume the stargazer has told you much about the future."

"The old man knows quite a bit, but he's not quite as good as Hinoto-hime," Sorata said cockily before looking at the Kamui. "Three of us right here, and another found. That leaves the fire and wind masters to come. Your seals are gathering to aid you," he said. "Don't you want to know what's going on?" He pointed to Arashi. "She could bring you to the one who can tell you more."

Kamui stiffened again, hating to be put on the spot. If Yuzuriha hadn't been there, he would have instantly blasted the other two and told them where to shove it. "Who's Hinoto?" he asked suspiciously.

"She is the dreamgazer who knows all about the fate of the world and directs Japan's future. She will probably be able to tell you about your mother," Sorata said, dangling the carrot before Kamui. Turning to Arashi, "Well, Neesan, will you bring us?"

Arashi frowned at the boy's familiarity. "Will you come with me?" she asked Kamui. Kamui's determined nod was all she needed. Without further ado, she turned and led the assorted gang to the Diet Building.

~~~~~~

Notes

Xandra: We think it's so Kamui to just show up, blast people and run off. I've always felt he was such a brat in the first bit of the X manga. But we will be staying true to canon so he will be all melty with Fuuma later. Ha! Poor Subaru, he's going to be so disappointed he's missing out on meeting Kamui. But the two of us have a grand plan. *smirk* And Seishirou being the protective boyfriend and not allowing him to get into any more fights just makes my heart melt. As for Subaru's outfit... *pokes Aishuu* I still think he sorta looks like Sakura's Li-kun. At least its been changed a bit. It was worse before, believe me. *giggles*

Aishuu: WORSE??? That's what I get for going with a Chinese theme!!! Anyway, enter Kamui, and he's got his bad ass attitude! *squeals* I just love the early Kamui. Blast first, ask questions later if he thinks to, maybe. Subaru meets Yuzuriha, and the obligatory Yuuto/Sorata fight happens - with Yuuto declaring Sorata as his opponent, since he's already had a run-in with the Seishirou/Subaru dynamic. Paradigm Shift, baby. Subaru has missed meeting Kamui twice so far... geez, don't you love the authors? 

AXQA: If you're interested, more of Xandra's fanfiction, the rest of Paradigm Shift and fanart can be found here: 

And Aishuu's stories can be found here: 

To contact both authors: (Axqa_1@yahoo.com)


	8. The Stolen Shinken

The Writing Team of AXQA, comprising of Xandra and Aishuu presents: **Paradigm Shift - Chapter 8** (Axqa_1@yahoo.com)

Disclaimer: The characters in X and Tokyo Babylon belong to Clamp. We're just very happy to have the chance to try them out in alternative scenarios. This is written purely for enjoyment, no profit is being made from this story.

Chapter 8 - The Stolen Shinken

After being told he had to come to Tokyo by his dying mother, Shirou Kamui hadn't been able to think up a reason not to…. well, except that he had been told to. He was never one to follow rules, and following orders went right along with that. If there was one person on the earth who would resent being told he had a Destiny with a capital D, it was him. 

Yet here he was, being lectured by Hinoto, the yumemi of Japan. She'd just told him about the decision he would have to make and how the fate of the world rested on his choice. It didn't take a genius to figure out what the super-powered, temperamental teenager would do in response.

Basically, it involved lots of pyrokinetics. The Dragons of Heavens watched in amazement as he launched a blast of sheer force at the yumemi, prompting her protector Saiki Daisuke to leap to her rescue, just barely deflecting the blow. Yuzuriha nibbled at her nails nervously while Arashi hesitantly drew her sword, her loyalties divided. 

Sorata smacked his head against his hand, groaning in exasperation. "Kamui, can you at least hear her out before you try to blow her into the next life?" he asked. He had known the kid was short-tempered, but this was a bit too much.

"I've heard all that I want to," Kamui growled. He shot a glare at Hinoto. "You want me to choose to save humanity, right? That's laughable. I'm only a high school student and I don't want anything to do with any of this. And I don't think you're telling me everything," he added, his eyes narrowing intelligently. He hated being left in the dark; it went along with the whole teenage rebellion against authority and hatred of manipulation attitude he embraced.

Hinoto merely bowed her head, refusing to look at him. Daisuke yelled from his position in front of her, "You're not fit to be the Kamui!" His resentment boiled over for this boy who didn't understand how important the next few months were going to be. 

Kamui's expression would have sent shivers down the spine of anyone who valued their lives. Sorata was so alarmed by the sight that he contemplated knocking the enraged teenager out if only to cool things down. However, before he could move, a peculiar sensation alerted him that something unusual was happening. 

The other two Seals appeared similarly affected. To the two older Ten no Ryuu's surprise, it was Yuzuriha who reached her hands together and raised a Kekkai before they could react. Everyone froze as the green cylinder enveloped them. 

"A Kekkai…" Daisuke whispered. He looked around in awe, noticing the twin attendants to Hinoto had vanished, but he and the yumemi were still present. "Why…"

"You're too powerful to be sealed outside," Arashi said grimly, holding her sword in a guard position in front of her. Her eyes darted around and she watched warily. "There's a Dragon of Earth around…"

Daisuke looked at Hinoto in concern. "She can't defend herself!"

"I'll be fine," Hinoto assured him, giving him a sweet smile. "I have seen this." Her sightless eyes darted over to Sorata just as a pair of cables jumped up the floor, wrapping around the teen's waist. Electricity sparked and he struggled as it slammed him into the furthest wall. As if satisfied with that, the wires left him and turned to Yuzuriha.

The young girl was smiling enthusiastically as she sat on the back of her inugami while he leaped between the entangling circuitry, agilely avoiding all of the attacks. "Inuki!" she called as she leaped gracefully off his back to land on the floor. The god-dog glowed and transformed into a sword, flying into her grip. Yuzuriha cheerfully sliced about her and the wires fell to the floor, rendered harmless. 

At another corner of the room, Arashi was also doing her part in keeping the ever increasing mass of electronic cables away from her. 

While all the Seals were occupied, Kamui merely stood there observing the mayhem with a bored expression. For long moments, the fighting circled around the young man, then as if sensing his defenseless state, the twisting metal ropes made a concerted dive for him. Casually, as if batting a fly away, Kamui waved his hand and the cables exploded in a shower of sparks before they even came near him. 

Hinoto smiled at Daisuki, who was holding a shield of wind in front of her to keep the cords away. "That is why he is the Kamui," she explained. She tilted her head slightly as another set arced up from the floor towards Kamui with murderous intent.

"This is boring," he declared, staring at the whirling wires with intense heat. The result was a mound of melted slag. "If you're trying to hurt me, do it seriously!" He grinned as one lashed up from the spot he had been standing, forcing him to jump aside. 

"Kamui!" Sorata cried.

"This is more like it," Kamui said in satisfaction, forming a ball of force and sending it flying at the spot where he had just been. "Bring it on!"

The words were a definite goad at the attacker. All attacks on the other Seals stopped abruptly. A concentrated mass lunged to strike with incredible force at the young man whose thin smile never wavered. Electricity was sparking everywhere as the others fell back to watch, knowing they wouldn't reach Kamui in time. They held their breath in anticipation, wondering.

The blow never came. With terrific power, Kamui unleashed his might and all the cables fell to the ground, useless. The power flowed down along the wires, back to their source and struck at the heart of the supercomputer that was Beast. Inside of the machine, Satsuki screamed as a feedback loop fed into neurons... the ozone scent of frying electronic circuitry flooded the room, and the Beast struggled for a second to regain control of itself.

At her underground base, Satsuki pushed her visor back, feeling slightly stunned. She hadn't realized that the Kamui was that powerful.

Back at the Diet building, the Yuzuriha quickly retracted her Kekkai to restore everything to its proper place. Everyone stared at Kamui in awe, finally struck by the level of power that raised him above them.

"That was a Dragon of Earth…" Hinoto said. "Now do you see, Kamui? Why you must take your place as a Dragon of Heaven?"

The air around the room rippled strangely, and a person emerged from the shadows. "That's not fair, neesan. You should at least tell him the truth," Kanoe said. She wore a brilliant smile on her red lips. "Hello, Kamui. I am Kanoe… and I am here to offer you a choice."

"Choice?" Kamui echoed, looking suspiciously at the crippled seer, who merely started to cry.

~*~*~*~*~

It had been a week since Subaru had met the young scion of Mitsumine Shrine, and he still hadn't called her. He kept meaning to, but his work was, to be quite frank, overwhelming. He had spent yesterday falling asleep at Seishirou's apartment instead of going on the date they had planned, and he was so relieved that Seishirou seemed content to just have him around. Still, he resolved to make it up to Seishirou… somehow. He was contemplating romantic dinners and dates on his way to his latest job when he ran headfirst into another teenager. 

Naturally polite, Subaru flushed with embarrassment as he apologized for his clumsiness. He flushed even hotter when he felt the weight of the incredulous look the young man directed at his clothes. 

It was another of Hokuto's outfits, of course, but this one was far more daring than most. Red pleather pants molded tightly to his lean hips, matching the leather toque and gloves he wore. A fitted black satin shirt clung to his upper body, but the weather was cold enough that his sister had allowed him to add a red fleece vest over it... Nevertheless, it was eye catching and more daring than anything he had worn since New Year's. Despite his reservations, he wore it after his sister pointed out that he should be dressing nicely for Seishirou.

"I'm so sorry, I appear to be a bit lost. Could you tell me where the nearest train station is?" Subaru asked, trying valiantly to distract the young man. 

The young man smiled slightly at Subaru's flustered pink state, apparently deciding to ignore the rather odd clothing. "You're quite out of your way. It's quite a few blocks north," he answered politely. "I'll show you, since I'm headed in that direction anyway."

Subaru breathed an internal sigh of relief. His sister was always teasing him about how he could get lost trying to get into a paper bag, and she wasn't that far off-base. His sense of direction was horrible. "Thank you so much," Subaru said, bowing. "I'm Sumeragi Subaru. I'm so sorry to trouble you."

"Monou Fuuma. It's all right, I live near it, at the Togakushi shrine. The train station is two blocks away from that."

"A shrine… sounds similar to my house," Subaru mused as they started to walk. "I grew up on the Sumeragi compound - it's a retreat for Japan's onmyoujitsu users," he explained. "It's full of religious items."

"Is it?" Fuuma sounded interested, and Subaru turned his head. The younger man, despite being in his teens, was a good half a head taller than Subaru. He looked over at Subaru, his eyes lingering on the onmyouji's clothing again, but refrained from commenting, inherent manners obvious. "That sounds like an interesting place to grow up," he said more diplomatically. 

"It is. I got to meet some of the most… unique…. individuals in Japan."

Fuuma grinned. He knew a lot about the strange individuals who made up the spiritual community in the country. "It takes all sorts I suppose, since faith doesn't restrict itself to the average person."

"Sometimes I think the average person has it easier. They just follow where they're led," Subaru said wistfully. It would have made life so much simpler if he wasn't an onmyouji...

"I don't think anyone is average," Fuuma replied, surprising Subaru with the insightfulness of the thought. "We're all unique, and all choose our own course."

Subaru shook his head, watching as they passed the houses of suburban Tokyo. "I disagree. None of us choose anything… except those special few." He stared off vaguely looking at how the world seemed so normal and safe, wishing he could believe in that blissful innocence, but knowing his innocence had been taken away.

It took a soft touch on his arm to bring him back to reality. "Um, we have to turn this way," Fuuma said with a bit of embarrassment. 

Soft eyes stared at him with concern and Subaru realized that the teenaged boy was trying to think on how to comfort him. He reminded him of someone, and it was with a bit of shock that Subaru found himself laughing. "You're a bit like Seishirou-san. He's always jerking me out of my daydreams… he says I think too much on things I can't control."

Fuuma cocked his head curiously. "It's always good to have a special friend to watch out for you," he said, thoughtfully. 

Subaru was no longer as shy about admitting his relationship with Seishirou these days. "Yes, he does take care of me very well." He came out of his melancholy and indulged in a dreamy smile. He could practically see Fuuma putting two and two together as his eyes widened. 

Surprisingly the teenager smiled back. "I think you have a Wish to protect him too," Fuuma said wisely to Subaru. 

Subaru raised an eyebrow curiously. "A Wish?" he asked curiously. "That's an odd way to put it." As they walked together, Subaru sensed an intensity growing, and he wondered if this was another one of the destined meetings. The boy felt normal, but so had Yuuto. Could this be a Dragon of Heaven, he wondered. Something about him was pure, something that made Subaru mourn once again for the innocent he had been at sixteen.

The teenager blushed slightly, and Subaru forced his attention back to Fuuma and away from its wanderings. "Sorry, it just… slipped. I have a friend and he seems to be a bit like you. You're a lot nicer than he is, really, but you both have a quality about you that I can't exactly describe. Almost otherworldly, for lack of a better word, like he dances where everyone else walks. He… really wants to protect my sister, and me, I think. So he stays away." Fuuma's face grew a bit sad, a blush staining his cheeks.

Subaru felt a shiver go down his spine. He'd been called supernatural before, but never by such a sincere individual. "But if you let him stay away… won't he hurt himself in the long run?" Subaru asked quietly. "Sometimes we need to do what we think is right, even if that other person disagrees."

Fuuma gave that suggestion careful thought. "You're right," he concluded. "He really shouldn't be alone, even though he insists on it. I live right up here," he said, waving a hand at a shrine that was coming into sight. "Maybe I should try to talk to him..."

"You should," Subaru said. "Being with someone is what makes life worthwhile." 

What Fuuma would have said next Subaru would never know because the young man suddenly pulled to a halt in shock before sprinting into a shrine. Subaru's astonishment held him frozen for a moment too while he assessed the situation. Some distance away, a young man, strangely dressed in a Chinese tunic, stood beside the prone body of a man. He was holding a large sword, an aura of power shimmering around him. 

Subaru went still, unable to react. He sensed the power, and knew that he should do something to protect the teen with him, but by the time his mind kicked into gear, it was too late. Fuuma was running towards the man, heedless of his own safety. "Otousan!" the teenager was yelling.

Fuuma's voice snapped Subaru out of his shock. "Fuuma! It's not safe!" Subaru called, producing ofuda from one of his pockets. He could tell the man was as good as dead, and his logic told him to leave the old priest and protect what could be saved - a battlefield decision, something that came hard to Subaru and was against his nature.

The youth turned and focused flat eyes on them, eyes without any emotion or reaction. He dismissed Fuuma with a glance, but nodded to Subaru. Around him, the long scarf coiled, and his expressionless face remained impassive as he leapt onto the roof.

Subaru felt like he'd been struck by a truck. AChi no Ryuu, he recognized! His hands rose to form the Kekkai that was his gift, but the strange boy leapt away too fast for him to set it into place… leaving heartbreak behind.

_Oh no,_ he thought as he raced towards the sobbing teen holding onto his father. The man was gasping something to Fuuma. Subaru was sure he was mistaken when he thought he heard the name Kamui, but decided that if the Kamui was involved, the attack would make sense. But why? What would a Dragon of Earth attack a shrine...?

Then the inevitable recriminations began. _How could I not have felt the presence of a Chi no Ryuu? What good am I if I can't even protect an innocent civilian? Maybe Arashi is right..._ Subaru berated himself. As he came up to Fuuma, he could see it was already too late. The wounds on Fuuma's father were too deep and his breathing was ragged and gurgling... and then with a peculiar rattle that would haunt his dreams, it ceased.

_It's all my fault!_

Unknown to Subaru, two of his fellow Seals were racing after the shinken thief. Sorata and Kamui had arrived just in time to catch sight of Nataku's back, and had abandoned the Monou shrine in favor of trying to retrieve the sword. But try as they might, the thief proved too agile and disappeared from sight quickly, leaving behind two extremely frustrated teenagers.

Sorata choked back a shudder at the murderous expression on Kamui's face. He looked fit to blow the next building to rubble, or even the next most convenient target, which Sorata realized, was him.

_Definitely not a good thing, _Sorata thought, even though he was on the verge of losing his own temper. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down, realizing that he would have to find his patience to keep the situation in hand.

"Dammit! The priest should have given it to me when I arrived!" Kamui yelled at the top of his lungs, glaring. Energy danced around his hair, and he looked like a live wire. 

The wise would have shut up, but Sorata was unable to refrain from saying, "And you should have listened to me! I kept trying to _tell _you this was going to happen, but noooo… you had to be stubborn!"

"You mean you knew this was going to happen?" Kamui raged, and the energy grew more intense. Sorata wondered if putting a Kekkai up would be a wise move or simply exacerbate the situation.

While Kamui yelled at his Seal, Subaru looked at the young man whose father had just died, wishing he could do something - anything - to offer help. "I… I'm so sorry. If I had…" he began to stutter.

Fuuma looked sightlessly around him. "Kotori… I need to find Kotori and keep her away…."

But even as the thought was voiced, it was too late. A young girl with long blonde hair was running up to the still body of her father. Her eyes widened when she saw he wasn't breathing, and she began to scream, a terrible piercing wail that rang into the high octaves before her eyes rolled up into her head and she slumped forward into blessed unconsciousness. Her brother, standing nearby, was quick enough to catch her before she hit the ground and did herself physical damage, but Subaru wondered what the sight of her father's mangling had done to her psyche.

Before too long, paramedics were at the scene and everyone bundled up and away. Subaru was left standing there, ignored since he was not related to any of the participants. His name was taken, and as usual, his surname allowed him to talk them into letting him schedule an appointment with the police for later. As he stood there feeling lonely and lost, he had realized he was very, very late for his appointment with Seishirou. Miserably, he turned out to the street to make his way to his belated date. 

A few minutes later, Kamui, having shaken off Sorata, landed gently on the abandoned courtyard. He looked at the bloodstains on the ground and silently cursed destiny once again.

~*~*~*~*~

When Seishirou opened the door and saw Subaru's wan face, he immediately grabbed the younger man's hand and dragged him inside. The red outfit he was wearing emphasized his pallor, and Seishirou stared at him in concern. "Subaru, is something wrong?" he asked.

Subaru felt himself fall forward into his boyfriend's arms, burying himself into Seishirou's warm embrace. "Just hold me," he whispered. "Just hold me and tell me everything will be normal again."

The vet wrapped his arms around the trembling young man, rubbing his hands soothingly over Subaru's back. "Do you want to sit?" he offered.

Subaru just clung and didn't reply.

Seishirou held him for a moment, before shuffling him over to the bedroom, figuring they both would be more comfortable on the wider bed. He remembered the last time Subaru was in such a state, and braced himself for an emotional onslaught.

"Come on, Subaru-kun," Seishirou said as he reached down to help him out of his boots and socks, realizing Subaru hadn't bothered to take them off at the door. Subaru pliantly let him, snuggling up against his boyfriend as soon as he could get a hold of him again, desperately wanting his warmth. 

After a long moment, Subaru said in a small voice, "A man died today because I hesitated."

Seishirou didn't answer him right away. "Are you so certain it's your fault?" he asked, not immediately absolving him.

Subaru let the long silence stretch out. He didn't know how he was going to explain the whole Kekkai raising business to Seishirou. Eventually, he nodded dumbly and burrowed his head into Seishirou's chest. He wanted to comfort himself with the steady thumping sound of Seishirou's heart.

"People die everyday, Subaru-kun. You have to come to accept that you can't save everyone. You might have great power, but you're still human," Seishirou said after a moment's consideration.

"I can't!" Subaru lifted his head up to gaze into Seishirou's eyes. "I can't accept that," he repeated miserably.

"You're too gentle Subaru-kun," Seishirou said, before leaning over to plant a kiss on his forehead.

Subaru leaned into it, letting himself relax before abruptly yanking Seishirou's head down so he could catch his lips with his own. The kiss he gave the older man was clumsy, but Seishirou blinked at the passion in it. There was a desperation in Subaru's kiss, and the assassin's mind reeled as he calculated the possibilities.

_Should I?_ he wondered. _Should I up the stakes tonight? _The younger man's trim, toned body had been a temptation for months, and the only thing that had kept Seishirou from pushing things too fast was that the "nice" vet wouldn't move things too fast for the shy virgin._ Besides, good things come to those who wait, _he thought in satisfaction.

He broke the kiss, staring down at Subaru's pale, ethereal face, deciding to let things play themselves out for a while. "Subaru-kun," he whispered before trailing a series of gentle kisses over the onmyouji's jaw line. "You're too beautiful."

"I am not beautiful," Subaru said fiercely. 

"You need to check a mirror more often. Or better still, let me be your mirror and trust me when I tell you that you are beautiful," Seishirou whispered.

Subaru nodded and reached his fingers up to unbutton the fastenings on Seishirou's shirt. He was suddenly seized with a frantic need to come into contact with him. His fingers slipped a little from the lack of purchase and he spared a flash of regret that he could never feel Seishirou, not while he wore his gloves. 

Seishirou leaned back and let Subaru take the initiative. It was rare that the younger man was so aggressive. Lazily he allowed Subaru to slip his shirt off before sliding his arms around his waist. He began to stroke Seishirou's back tentatively.

Subaru's gloved touch was strangely arousing. The soft leather reminded Seishirou of warm sheets, and he wondered if grabbing the younger man and pressing him into the bed would be barbaric. From the way Subaru's mysterious green eyes were glowing, he would wager there would be no objections.

Subaru leaned forward to trace a few kisses across Seishirou's chest. 

Seishirou allowed himself a moment to enjoy it before taking further action. As amusing at it was to let Subaru fumble his way around, he knew that sooner or later, his inherent shyness would come back with a vengeance. Seishirou decided to take advantage of it while he could, and maybe…

His hands found the gold zipper on Subaru's fleece vest, slowly edged it down, revealing the black satin dress shift underneath. As strange as Subaru's clothes were, Seishirou had to hand it to Hokuto-- it was definitely a treat to unwrap him. The Sakurazukamori ran his hands over the smooth fabric, and Subaru shivered at the sensation.

Seishirou lowered his head again to cover Subaru's mouth with yet another mind-numbing kiss. He was rather satisfied with its effect when Subaru sagged against him, his knees apparently unable to hold him up. 

Subaru made a small sound when he discovered his suddenly vulnerable position. But it wasn't one of protest, it was more a little whisper of anticipation. The sound brought a smile to Seishirou's lips. 

Carefully Seishirou lowered Subaru down to the bed, and allowed himself to be tugged forward to yet another desperate kiss. He could definitely feel the Subaru's arousal through what remained of his clothes. The young man was clearly ready. 

"Seishirou-san," Subaru whispered, raising his head slightly as Seishirou smoothly unbuckled the thick belt at Subaru's waist. 

"I won't hurt you, my Subaru-kun," Seishirou whispered, lying through his teeth. Tonight, he would be gentle… but later, when Subaru was used to him, before he killed him... Visions of the outfit Subaru had worn on New Year's Eve danced through his head, and he had to force himself not to lick his lips. "Trust me."

"I do," Subaru murmured, watching with wide eyes. "I... I like you very much."

"I know," Seishirou murmured, bending down to deal with Subaru's pants… only to find the tight pleather had molded itself so tightly to Subaru's flesh that it was nearly stuck to his skin. "How did you get into this?" he asked with a growl of frustration.

"Practice," Subaru replied, a teasing glint in his eye.

Seishirou eyed Subaru, lying back so invitingly and smiled. He was amused by the innocent wantonness of the Sumeragi. Seishirou reached down and slowly worked on the button of the fly. The touch sent Subaru's hips thrusting up uncontrollably. The effort was taking too long. An impatient Subaru reached over, thinking of helping. 

That was a mistake. 

His hand came up against Seishirou's and was knocked up, sending it towards the older man's face. The fist struck Seishirou's cheek hard enough that he was rocked backwards, his glasses falling to the floor with a crunch.

"Seishirou-san! Are you all right? I'm so sorry!" Subaru exclaimed in apology as he scrambled up. All thoughts of arousal fled from his mind. 

Seishirou felt his cheek gingerly, wryly thinking that Subaru could certainly pack a punch. The younger man was unquestionably stronger than his delicate looks implied. Quickly he sought to assure his lover, "I'm fine." Seishirou looked down at the shattered spectacles and decided it was just as well that he could see perfectly fine without them.

Subaru was staring at the broken glasses. Suddenly the knowledge of how easy it was to destroy brought a surge of despair sweeping through him. It was so overwhelming, a tear slid down unbidden from his eye. "I'm… I'm so sorry…" he whispered. 

Perceptively Seishirou realized he was apologizing for more than the glasses. "It's fine; I have a spare pair," he said reassuringly. He contemplated Subaru's neck, and wondered what the young Seal would do if he ended up with a series of love bites. He lowered his head to deliver them, but Subaru was too busy apologizing to notice his lover's attempts to renew their lovemaking.

"I'll replace them!" he was promising. "I'm such a klutz… it seems all I'm good for is destroying things…" he was babbling.

Seishirou groaned, pushing his painfully aroused body away, realizing that Subaru was probably too distracted to continue. _Great. Next time I choose an alter ego, it's one without glasses, _he thought in extreme frustration.

Seishirou reached over an arm and pulled Subaru into a comforting hug. "There, there," he said, rocking the younger man like a child. "You're too tired, you need to sleep." He could feel the slight nod of Subaru's head against his arm. He lowered Subaru down beneath the sheets and pulled the blankets over him. 

Seishirou sat there for a while, listening to Subaru's gentle breathing. He had fallen asleep very quickly, with Seishirou's hand stroking at his hair. The Sakurazukamori was momentarily seized with a temptation to end this whole farce, wondering if keeping himself at this frustrated state was worth it. But as he regarded Subaru's sleeping face, so innocent and trusting, he knew he was going to have to wait for just a bit longer. Besides, their year had not been played out and Seishirou was not one to say he was a cheat, even if there was no one around who would ever dare accuse him.

Besides, Subaru was beautiful. It would be a shame to kill him before…

He rose to his feet slowly, ignoring Subaru's sleeping attempts to cling to him. The man looked all of sixteen years old as he slept, and Seishirou ran a quick hand over Subaru's chest where his heart beat. _Soon enough, _he promised himself. _Soon enough, I will feel his heart in these hands and hot blood running through my fingers, _he thought with a tingle of anticipation,

Reluctantly he moved away, and hissed slightly in pain, his body still dangerously aroused. He had lulled Subaru to sleep, and the good vet wouldn't take advantage - damn it. That left only one other option.

A cold shower.

~~~~~

Notes:

Xandra: *coughs* I suppose you guys are as frustrated as I am over this scene. Did we have you thinking you were going to get a lemon here? Don't worry it shall appear, we have a schedule mapped out. 

Aishuu: This is called "Aishuu reigns in Xannee." Actually, it's also called "another close Subaru and Kamui meeting" miss. Darnit.

Xandra: Actually I'm okay with this not being a lemon, cos I got so many others to edit right now, I think I'd have fainted if I had to do another one. Okay back to proper things-- It was hard figuring out Kekkai mechanics. So here's our theory. People with power can appear inside Kekkais. Just like people with power can appear inside Maboroshis. (reference Seishirou accidentally trapping Kotori with Kamui in his Maboroshi) So in this chapter Daisuke and Hinoto can appear inside Yuzu's Kekkai. But there is no absolute reference in canon that supports it, so fanfic writers can pretty much write however they like on this issue.

Aishuu: Um, uh-huh. I call it deus ex machina. Whatever works, right? You know, for some reason, Xannee always sounds smarter than I do...

Xandra: *blushes* 

AXQA: If you're interested, more of Xandra's fanfiction, the rest of Paradigm Shift and fanart can be found here: 

And Aishuu's stories can be found here: 

To contact both authors: (Axqa_1@yahoo.com)


	9. The Coming of Kamuis

I The Writing Team of AXQA presents: /I 

B Paradigm Shift /B 

An Alternate Universe Tokyo Babylon/X:1999 fanfiction

written by lj user"xandrabelle" and lj user"aishuu" 

Disclaimer: All X and Tokyo Babylon characters set within this story are the property of CLAMP.

Summary: What if Subaru never bumped into Seishirou at that train station one fine day in 1990 and never had his heart broken? How would the two of them resolve their bet when they meet in 1999 and would fate be content to allow it?

a href"http/ the earlier parts /a 

lj-cut text"The Coming of Kamuis /a 

Chapter 9: The Coming of Kamuis

Sumeragi Hokuto was furious. Something big was going on and she was being left out of the loop. Subaru was keeping secrets and Kakyou was being evasive. Even Seishirou appeared to have an inkling of what was going on. That two of the men closest to her were being mysterious, she could forgive. But the thought that Seishirou, a reasonably new addition to her circle, knew something she didn't simply blew her mind. It was I _not fair_. /I 

She settled into her regular nap, determined to hunt Kakyou down and pinch the truth out of him if she had to. However, it seemed that he knew her intention and was hiding like a wimp. Her powers were enough for her to direct her energies to penetrate his dreamscape, but once there, all that met her was a limpid darkness.

"KAKYOU! Come. Out. Here! Talk to me! If you think this is enough to make me give up, you're totally mistaken!" Hokuto screeched as loudly as she could. She was certain he could hear her.

Kakyou sighed. Sometimes he wondered why he let Hokuto henpeck him so much. But she was special and didn't make him feel less of a person when he gave in to her. That was the crucial difference between her and those who kept him locked up in his room.

Besides, she didn't wish him any malice - she was merely concerned… for good reason. She had good instincts, and right now, all of her protective ones had kicked in. No one messed with Sumeragi Hokuto when it came to Subaru's welfare.

Kakyou heaved another sigh, knowing that if he kept blocking her, she would do something drastic in the real world, and then might accidentally get herself killed. If she confronted Seishirou over what he knew…

Kakyou could very well see that happening and shivered at the thought. He hurriedly parted the darkness, sitting in the blank Dreamscape. "You don't have to scream, Hokuto. I'm right here," he said softly, studying her. She was dressed in normal streetclothes, a plain orange shirt and tight jeans, without shoes, all thrown haphazardly on. He looked at her in concern. Hokuto without one of her odd outfits she so delighted in?

"Kakyou!" Hokuto exclaimed happily and pounced on him playfully. For a moment, he simply reveled in her caress. It was over all too quickly when she sobered and released him.

"What is going on?"

Kakyou raised an elegant brow, his face a study in blandness. Perhaps he could try to worm his way out of this situation after all. "What do you mean?"

Hokuto was having no more of this evasiveness. She reached out a finger and poked Kakyou right in the chest. "You. Know. What. I. Mean," she enunciated sternly. "Don't take me for an idiot. I'm going mad worrying about the three of you! Especially Subaru. He's just so sad all the time... Tell me!"

That last note made Kakyou wince. Hokuto could get really loud when she wanted. He sat there wondering what half-truth he could tell her. There was really nothing she could do for Subaru or him. Kakyou knew he was not to going to be able to change Subaru's fate no matter what he did. The force of destiny on him was too strong. Likewise for Kakyou.

"There is something at work greater than any of us, Hokuto," he said softly. "Your knowing would only cause you pain," he said, trying to catch her eyes and make her understand.

"Kakyou… would I be any happier not knowing? Knowing nothing, will I stumble blindly between you, who I will lose trust in, and Subaru, who I will try to protect with my inadequate self?" she asked. "I know Subaru is destined for great things and I don't want to know what those things are. But I just don't want to be blind anymore."

He looked at her, and made his choice. Kamui had I _the /I _ Choice to make, but each of the Dragons would have _a_ choice about which side they were destined to fight for, and whom they there destined to protect… or not protect. Outside of the Dreamscape, Hinoto and Kanoe hissed in pain, feeling the small, subtle repercussions of his action.

"There is a battle about to begin and Subaru and I are destined to fight in it," Kakyou began. "Subaru is destined to fight for the side that wishes to save humanity…" It was harder to say than he would have thought?...while I am going to use my powers to protect the Earth." He lowered his eyes slowly, and Hokuto shivered. "I haven't seen everything yet - my visions are only clear for about one month into the future - unless there's some powerful event which is unchangeable - but on New Year's Eve, 1999, we will fight in the Final Battle."

"You… and Subaru?" Hokuto asked in a trembling voice.

"And others. I don't know why I'm fighting - I could care less about the outcome, but I'm there, on Tokyo Tower and so is Subaru."

"These battles… they've begun, haven't they?" Hokuto asked in horror, remembering her brother's injured ankle with a sudden clarity of realization. "He's… he's going to be fighting all year… gentle, sweet Subaru…" Her voice grew shrill with fear.

Kakyou bent his head down, unable to bear her horrified gaze any longer. He was waiting for her to realize his part in the whole business. It was not long in coming. Strong hands seized Kakyou's shoulders, prompting his head to snap back up to meet Hokuto's deep green eyes.

"Let me get this straight. You are going to fight against my brother? Why?" she demanded.

"Because it's fate," Kakyou answered with a pang of deep sorrow. He was not going to tell her his real reason. He still held the hope that he could avert the most terrible part of the future that he saw. Until then, he was not going to tell Hokuto about it. He would not have her worry over him. Her anxiety for Subaru would be enough to occupy her.

"That's... that's..." she sputtered, too outraged at his fatalistic attitude to find the words to continue. Kakyou sometimes had the ability to make her want to do something violent to him. He was just too passive.

She knelt down before him, grabbing his face between his hands. "You and Subaru… the people I love most…" she whispered. "Go tell fate to take a flying leap off a cliff!" she roared suddenly. "And I'll have Seishirou tell Subaru the same, right after I'm through with him! He'll listen to the two of us!"

Kakyou almost started laughing hysterically at the thought of the Sakurazukamori telling the Sumeragi to tell fate to go hang itself. Seishirou had already told Kanoe that, but fate was inevitable. Seishirou would be drawn into the Final Battle, like it or not, and he would fight. "You can't talk to Seishirou or Subaru about this!" he said stubbornly, grabbing her tightly by the wrists. "Now do you see why I didn't want to tell you? I knew what you'd try to do, and you can't."

"Why not?" Hokuto said, staring at Kakyou grim eyes, amazed at the backbone he was suddenly showing her. He had never told her "no" so insistently before, and it frightened her a bit.

Kakyou wanted to make her comprehend. He could understand her frustration but this was vital. He stood up bringing her with him. Holding onto her shoulders, he demanded, "Do you trust me?"

Hokuto was taken aback his sudden vehemence. "I do trust you."

"I've already told you more than you ought to know. These battles, they're not meant for the knowledge of the ordinary world. Knowing about them will do you no good. Any action you take will only drive destiny down a darker path. If you really want to help us all, then go back to Kyoto."

Her eyes widened. "You want to get rid of me?" she whispered.

"For you, I'm only a dream away. It's Subaru you need to leave for… Subaru will worry about you here. Tokyo is built on a series of Kekkai, and they will start to fall soon. The side of Earth, my side, seeks to destroy those structures that stand upon them and bring about the Earth's rebirth. They don't care about the human lives that will be lost. Subaru is protecting these Kekkai, but you could be caught in one of those earthquakes that happen when a Kekkai falls. You could die," he said, trying to make it clear to her exactly why he was so worried.

She firmed her chin. "But Subaru needs me to watch out for him. I may not be able to help him fight, but he needs his sister to love him and talk to. He's entering into a serious romantic relationship on top of this all, and he can't depend on just Seishirou. Sei-chan is really great, and he understands quite a bit about onmyoujitsu, but he doesn't get what Subaru's position really entails."

Kakyou bit his lip, wishing he had the courage to tell the truth about "Sei-chan," but knowing that doing so would undoubtedly send Hokuto to her death.

"It'll be okay," she whispered, leaning forward and embracing her boyfriend's dream self. "I promise I won't give Subaru a hint I know but I'll support him. From Tokyo. If the world is going to end, I want to be close to the people I love."

Kakyou hugged Hokuto back as tightly as he could. It was all going as he had foreseen. She would not leave Tokyo. She had made her choice. He was helpless against it. Her fate was intimately entangled with all of theirs and in the decision that was to come.

"Today... it's today..." Kakyou whispered as he watching Hokuto depart from his dreamscape. Kakyou stood there holding himself back from running after her. What his heart wanted was to hang onto her forever. To keep her safe. It was, however, impossible and Kakyou bowed to the inevitable. Tears threathened to fall from his eyes. "Nothing I do matters... the world's fate's already decided."

HR 

Kamui stood outside the door of his childhood friend's room, unaware that he was about to make one of the decisions he would regret for the rest of his life. It wasn't right or wrong… it simply was. Kamui was about to make the Choice and its repercussions would affect the future of the world, despite what Kuzuki Kakyou believed.

His hand hesitated on the door. I _I don't really care about the future of the world… /I _

HR 

Across the city, Sumeragi Subaru was enmeshed in the nightmares that had plagued his sleep ever since childhood. He never remembered them, but they always left him pale and trembling, and never fully rested. Still, today that would change.

_ I Do you like sakura…? /I _

He struggled against the blankets which were choking him.

HR 

At Clamp Campus, a concerned teen sat by his sister's bedside. Fuuma was thinking about how his life had started changing with the return of Kamui to Tokyo. First his father, now his sister. Too many changes. His mind was in a whirl of confusion.

Fuuma reached out to finger a golden curl on his sleeping sister's head. "Kotori..." he whispered. "I can't protect you..."

On the other side of the bedroom door, a young boy reached out to take the handle, on the cusp of a decision.

HR 

Sakurazuka Seishirou, meanwhile, was in his apartment, apart from his prey and away from both of his jobs for a change. It was tiring, though he would never admit it, to act in all his roles, and sometimes he just needed to be by himself and let his mind idle. The Sakurazakamori was a solitary creature at heart.

He leaned back into the leather couch, watching the smoke from his cigarette curl towards the ceiling as the jazz music played on his expensive CD system. He enjoyed music, particularly the saxophone. There was something about the wail of high notes that spoke to him. He knew Subaru played the violin, though the younger man was still too shy to perform for him. In time, he supposed.

He was sure he'd enjoy listening, for he'd wager a month's pay that Subaru played with his soul.

HR 

In the Dreamscape, Kakyou stretched out a hand to a young girl. "Be careful, you can fall so easily here if you don't watch where you step," he said. This meeting was fate, though given the choice, his heart told him he would do it anyway. He could not leave her to flounder in the dreamscape of her mind.

Kotori looked around at the transformed scene. One moment she was in darkness, then the next, there was Kakyou with his gentle presence. "Thank you," she said politely.

"You know what is supposed to happen now," he stated.

"Yes," she replied simply.

"You do not regret it?"

"No. I'm just grateful you're willing to help me," she said. Kotori smiled. "I'm just sad that you will get into trouble."

"My future cannot be changed," Kakyou replied sadly.

"No. I cannot believe that. The future can be changed," she insisted with youthful optimism. "You must find it in yourself to believe that as well. Perhaps one day you can."

Kakyou's golden eyes remained fixed on hers, wishing he could believe she was right.

HR 

"…But I want to protect the place where you and Kotori can live happily, Fuuma," Kamui whispered, reaching out to turn the handle.

Outside, church bells chimed , birds shrieked and all through the city, the chosen of Fate turned their head, whispering his name. But it was when he opened the door that Kamui knew something truly momentous had just occurred… that the world had changed, and not necessarily for the better.

HR 

Sumeragi Subaru bolted upright from his slumber. His heart was pounding while he tried to shake his dreamfogged mind awake. Something immensely important had just happened. It was as if his entire world view had just changed and he didn't know what had occurred.

"Kamui!" Subaru instinctively shouted, his hand reaching out to someone he had never seen, whether in a desire to stop him or to encourage him, Subaru would never know. He tumbled from his bed to the floor, falling in a heap ungracefully. His head was spinning but he knew he had to get up and out. Somehow, he I _knew /I _ Kamui needed him.

Moments later he was out the door, and headed in the direction of the giant Kekkai that was Clamp Campus.

HR 

The ripples of Kamui's choice affected everyone far and near, and someone nearer than Kamui would have chosen. Inside, as the door open Fuuma gasped once, a dying breath, then started to laugh, raising his head to look at the boy who had once had been his best friend. "You seem to have made a decision."

Kamui's puzzled eyes locked on his friend as Fuuma started to advance on him. "Fuuma?"

"You chose your future as a Dragon of Heaven... one of the Seven Seals, 'Kamui.' If you chose your future as a Dragon of Heaven, it is my Destiny to be a Dragon of Earth."

HR 

Sakurazuka Seishirou sighed. It appeared he was not going to have the relaxing evening he had been looking forward to. The tidal wave of destiny had rocked him for a moment, instantly alerting him of his need to be elsewhere. Kamui had chosen, and willy nilly, both he and Subaru were getting dragged into the mess.

Deliberately, he slipped on his overcoat and a pair of dark shades. He paused for a moment to consider just how he was going to handle this. He was sure Subaru was already on his way to the scene. He was going to need his maboroshi.

Seishirou smiled to himself as he sped towards the epicenter of what can be accounted the most important event in human history. He wouldn't miss this for the world.

HR 

She felt cool wind on her face. Somehow, she was outside… was she in the tree? Was Kamui holding her, to keep her from falling?

She forced her tired eyes open, trying to see through the pain. She saw her brother's silhouette, and smiled. "Oniichan…"

As the sword was raised above her, suddenly everything became clear… and she wished she could speak to Kamui, and tell him of the futures she saw.

HR 

Kamui screamed as Kotori was hoisted against the cross, and Fuuma pierced his body, nailing him viciously to the nearby wall.

"KOTORI!"

Fuuma's eyes flashed as he raised the shinken, preparing to kill his sister.

HR 

All of Subaru's experience could not prepare him for the sight he beheld on that rooftop. The scene was surreal to the extreme. On one side, a young man was screaming himself hoarse, blood flowing from wounds all over his body. On the other side, a tall teenager stood dramatically with a large sword.

"NO!" Subaru's cry echoed the young man when it because obvious just where he was going to bury that sword. Subaru tried to lunge forward... and stepped into a waking dream.

_ I In front of a Sakura tree a tall boy stood. "Do you like the sakura?"_

_Subaru heard himself replying, "Yes."_

"_Did you know the Sakura are white, like snow, and it is the corpses under the tree that stain the flowers pink?"_

"_But aren't the people beneath the tree in pain?"_

_The tall boy approached him. "Let me make a bet with you," he said as he lifted a warm hand to caress his face._

_Subaru could feel the soft breath of the other tickling at the juncture of his neck. He was enfolded in the boy's arms. A strong wind rose and he could no longer hear anything, the gushing air drowning out whatever the boy was saying. Subaru tried to shake his head, to make the boy speak louder._

_He suddenly found entangled in the Sakura tree, bound and crucified as effectively as Kamui. /I _

HR 

Some distance away, Seishirou was also watching. However in contrast, what he saw left him unmoved. There was a peculiar surge of recognition when he saw the tall teenager who was preparing to impale the blonde girl. Seishirou had to applaud his technique. It took skill to aim for the aorta for the surest kill. However, Seishirou clinically decided that working with a shinken was probably easier than working with bare hands.

A quick movement caught his eye. He frowned. Subaru appeared to be struggling in the grip of something powerful. It was just so like Subaru to get all upset over watching someone get killed. However this time, there was nothing he could do. Subaru I _needed_ /I to witness this, just like him. The grip of destiny was too powerful.

HR 

Kakyou sighed. He could feel the consciousness of the living girl he was currently occupying, slipping away. Dimly, he felt Kotori's soul recoiling in horror. Kakyou supposed that knowing one was doomed was a totally different thing from actually experiencing it. Yet he marveled at her determination to go through with it.

"This girl wishes Kamui to live," Kakyou said to the newly awakened Kamui of the Dragons of Earth. He was holding onto the sword with all his strength.

"You are a Chi no Ryuu. A yumemi who has entered the dream of this dying girl," the Dark Kamui replied. He turned away from Kakyou. "Kamui, I will kill you."

HR 

Kotori was dead.

Fuuma had killed her.

_ I It was his fault. /I _

Kamui's eyes remained open, but his mind fell away, unable to cope with the horrible reality in front of him.

HR I 

_Subaru stood entangled in the Sakura tree, blood and petals of snow and deceptively gentle pink falling around him. He wept, knowing that around him, there was suffering, as the shadowy youth burned the marks into his hands, knowing that the world…_

/I 

And suddenly, a hawk cried out, and around him, the darkness shattered. The branches that entrapped his arms and limbs retracted, and he fell forward. His eyes widened as reality returned to its normal dimensions.

If he could call it that.

While his memories had entrapped him, the events below had continued to their horrible conclusion. A medical team was around Kamui, trying to treat his wounds, but there was nothing they could do for the girl.

If he had been stronger, he would have been able to go to Kamui's side, and possibly help fight off the Dark Kamui but he had not. He had become overwhelmed with horror at the awakening of the darkness, and fallen to it. The girl was dead, the Dark Kamui fled, and Shirou Kamui's soul was locked away.

All because he was too weak to defeat his own demons.

He wept.

HR 

Seishirou remained concealed within his illusion, observing the confused tableau before him. He shook his head. Subaru had come too close to remembering his past. Fortunately Seishirou had realized his stillness was unnatural and acted to awaken him.

He was surprised that the sheer power of the Dark Kamui awakening could trigger such an effect on Subaru. Seishirou took a moment to muse on how odd Fate was. It was as if there was a strange echo between Subaru's fate and Kamui's fate. Seishirou could almost see the threads working and was discomfited. Everything was becoming horribly entangled.

He looked back at Subaru, who was trying to hold back his tears. He had scrambled to Kamui's side and was following the rushing crowd of medical people down the stairs.

"Subaru, when will you stop weeping?" Seishirou asked from his solitary vantage. "If you cry now, what will you do when I teach you real pain?"

END CHAPTER NINE


	10. The Promise of Power

_The Writing Team of AXQA presents:_

**Paradigm Shift**

An Alternate Universe Tokyo Babylon/X:1999 fanfiction

* * *

_Chapter 10: The Promise of Power_

Imonoyama Nokoru considered himself a cheerful person, ready to deal with just about anything life threw at him. He was brilliant, handsome, rich beyond the wildest dreams of most men, and talented beyond measure. While his athletic skills weren't always up to par (except when a damsel was in distress), he had a faithful ninja who was loyal to him above all else, and a talented chef who doubled as a thief. All in all, he led a pretty charmed life.

When he was sixteen, his mother dropped the secret of the Foreordained Day on him, and that had thrown him for a loop. He'd spent nine years preparing the campus to house the Shinken when it arrived, but he hadn't counted on one thing… or maybe two - Shirou Kamui and Monou Fuuma.

Who would have guessed that the savior of the world would be a brat who could have cared less about saving the world? And when that boy finally made up his mind to protect the world, who would have guessed that his best friend, one of the nicest guys you could hope to meet, would proclaim himself the Kamui's twin star, slaughter his sister, and all in all wreak havoc on the campus? Hinoto probably had known, but getting information out of her that she didn't want to tell was like squeezing water from stones.

It was enough to make Nokoru want to cry.

The large waiting room was becoming uncomfortably filled. There was a tension in the air among all the gathered. Nokoru was displeased to see one of the young girls, apparently a Seal, sobbing. He had never liked to see a damsel in distress.

"Don't worry," he said kindly to Yuzuriha, while trying to pitch his voice loud enough so others in the room could hear and be assured, too. "The best doctors are working on Kamui, they've told me he will be all right. Who would like to see him first?"

Sorata quickly piped up. "I'll go! Kamui knows me."

The others exchanged glances and nodded. "That would be best," the girl who had been introduced to him as Arashi said.

Nokoru nodded. "I should tell you, though, that Kamui seems to have gone into shock. While his body is responding, he just… doesn't seem to be there."

The two girls exchanged looks, and the smaller girl stroked the air at her side, apparently taken comfort from the action. Had he not been informed, he would have thought she was mad, but he knew that she was of the Mitsumine Shrine. Her familiar was probably beside her. "What's wrong?"

"He's healing at a remarkable rate because of his powers, but there's no response mentally. He's not damaged neurological, but it's like his brain's asleep," Nokoru said. "We've seen cases like this before, but there's no scientific explanation. It's like a part of him just shut down," Nokoru said, searching for the right words.

Sorata laid a hand on Arashi's shoulder. "Don't worry, I'll do my best to try. We need Kamui."

A short while later, Sorata returned to meet five pairs of expectant eyes. His shoulders were bowed as he shook his head silently. Everyone in the room remained frozen, wondering what was to happen now.

It was just at that moment when the large doors to the room swung open. Everyone's attention was seized by the striking pair standing between them. For a moment, everyone blinked wondering at their strange double vision.

The woman was dressed in a cutting edge outfit, in trendy black. Her flaring black shirt met knee-high boots which ended in a chunky heels, and her tube-top revealed a toned stomach. She was wearing a calve-length cloak that flared around her, and her short cropped hair was testament that she was a woman of the modern era.

Her companion, on the other hand, was wearing the traditional white robes of an onmyouji. Their bleached purity swept around him, emphasizing the pallor of his face. His black hair stood against his collar, and the careful watchfulness of his eyes swept the room. They were striking, but what made them even more amazing was that aside from their gender, their faces and features were perfectly matched.

Nokoru blinked, coming to the obvious conclusion. "Sumeragi-san?" he asked. "I had heard you had a twin, but I didn't realize she was so pretty," he continued gallantly.

The man bowed slightly, and the woman nodded a bit, giving a washed out smile. "I'm Sumeragi Subaru," the man said, bowing to the group. He looked around at the others. "Hello, Kishuu-san, Nekoi-san," he said softly. "I'm sorry we had to meet again like this."

His speaking her name snapped Yuzuriha out of her trance. "Subaru-san!" she exclaimed, and she rose out of her chair, barreling at him to grip him in a tight hug. "Did you hear?"

Subaru's eyes held an infinite measure of sadness. He had very quickly concluded on Kamui's state when he first saw him, lying there on that stretcher being taken away. He knew he might be the only chance of bringing Kamui back. It was not only his duty, his responsibility; this was something he wanted to do for the young man.

"I know what's wrong with Kamui," he replied shortly. Pushing through the crowd, he headed towards where Kamui lay. No nurse made any move to stop him, and the rest of the Seals trailed after him.

Subaru winced a bit at the sight of him, looking so fragile, hanging onto Kotori's head. He settled himself as comfortably as he could beside him, mentally preparing his chant. He brushed back the sleeves of his white shikifuku and placed his hands on Kamui's forehead.

"What is he doing?" Sorata wondered.

Hokuto stared at her brother for an instant, wondering the same as well, before she raised her hand to her mouth in a silent gasp. "Subaru…" she whispered, her heart clenching in fear for her twin. "He's going to go Within Kamui!" she said.

"Within?" Daisuke asked, coming over to them, speaking for the first time.

Sorata understood what was happening as soon as Hokuto said it. He studied the ritually garbed main who knelt beside the boy, and started to offer silent prayers. "He's going to go inside Kamui's heart and try to bring him out. He must believe that Kamui has been so traumatized that he's hiding from the world. This is dreadfully dangerous."

Subaru ignored the commentary and focused on his chant. The soothing lyric of the words rolled off his tongue, as his consciousness faded from reality and entered... somewhere.

The silence and darkness that surrounded Subaru was initially disturbing. An all pervading sense of loneliness seized Subaru, and he almost despaired. How was he to find Kamui like this? Then he realized the loneliness he felt wasn't his; it was Kamui's. The moment he did so, he began to fall into the darkness and a rush of wind began buffeting him. Subaru squirmed about, shielding his face from the worst of the cuts.

Suddenly a dragon roared, furiously rushing up towards him with great speed. Subaru flinched, and fought back a desire to strike out at it. He knew Kamui's consciousness was merely protecting itself, and he wasn't surprised to find it was a dragon. Just when it appeared he would be consumed, he fell again, deeper and deeper, whirling down to the centre of the nexus that was Kamui's heart.

"Kamui?" he called softly. He moved slowly, knowing that to force his way in would damage Kamui's mind. He had gone Within people before, but Kamui had the power to hurt or even kill Subaru if he decided to.

"Kamui?" he called again, and the nearly overwhelming wave of hopelessness sought to drag him in, and remind Subaru that he was too weak, too gentle, to be a ten no ryu… he shouldn't be here… he wasn't good enough…. he would get Hokuto and Seishirou killed if he continued on this path…

A hawk shrieked, cutting through the miasma that threatened to drown Subaru, and Subaru looked up in amazement as a shikigami circled him once before fading. Still, it had done its job, and he snapped out of his despair.

He realized that it wasn't his thoughts, but Kamui's trying to drag him under. Kamui was powerful, more powerful than Subaru, and it wouldn't be through magic that Subaru would win this. He could only bring Kamui out by talking to him, and showing him that there was hope; and words were a weak spell indeed. Still, he would take that chance. Subaru had been too weak to save the girl or prevent the dark Kamui… Fuuma… from awakening. He would help Kamui now.

Subaru pushed forward, staggering a little across the treacle-like surface. While motion held no meaning here, it helped him focus on reaching Kamui. His efforts were reward when Subaru saw a light. A child was kneeling by a large sword, sobbing as if his heart was breaking. Again and again, images of the scene at the rooftop replayed themselves around him. Subaru frowned. This would not do.

Reaching out, Subaru seized Kamui's hands. "Kamui," he said in his gentlest voice, "will you let me help you?"

Kamui stopped his keening and turned a tear stained face at the bright figure before him. "Who are you?" he asked astonished.

"I'm Sumeragi Subaru," Subaru smiled at the beautiful innocent child. So this was his Kamui. Subaru was glad. He longed to hug him but he knew for now that wasn't the right track to take. He knelt down beside Kamui and said, "You're hurting a lot right now, huh?"

The child looked at him with bright violet eyes that were too old for his age. "Don't kill Kotori and Fuuma… Please... don't kill the two of them..." he begged.

Around the child, the scene exploded, and Subaru was suddenly back on the rooftop, except it was Kamui that pinned Fuuma to the wall, and Kamui who was raising the sword against Kotori.

Subaru shut his eyes, tears falling freely. "Kamui… it didn't happen this way."

"It might as well have…" the boy whispered, before the scene shifted to what really happened, and the birth of the Dark Kamui. "I was the one who made the decision. I was the one who doomed Fuuma and Kotori! I was the one who did nothing!"

Subaru clutched at Kamui's fists, trying to hold him back from plunging into absolute insanity. "Please, Kamui, listen to me..."

Kamui looked at Subaru and the question that was foremost in his heart burst forth. "Why did Fuuma hurt Kotori? Does this mean he's bad now?"

Subaru's heart went out to the young child now forced to bear so much responsibility for the world. It wasn't fair. With that thought, he made up his mind to do his best for Kamui, to help him shoulder some of this terrible weight that was on him. He settled himself down beside him. "No, Kamui, you mustn't think that," Subaru said. "You care a lot for Fuuma, right?"

"But it's all my fault!" Kamui protested. "I promised to protect him and I couldn't, I couldn't. I feel so useless."

That sentiment struck a chord deep within Subaru. "Listen carefully to me," Subaru said, feeling like he was walking on a razor's edge. "We all feel that way sometimes. We all take responsibility for things that aren't our faults…"

"Who's fault is it?"

Subaru wished he dared touch the child, but knew it would have to be Kamui to make the first physical contact. Kamui would have to make that decision. "There is no answer, Kamui. We only know the facts but… We don't know the "truth". I can't tell you what to think - it's up to you to interpret what you learn. But I do know… that to stay beside your most precious one is the most important thing in the world for you."

Kamui smiled a bit tremulously at that, inching closer to the Sumeragi.

Subaru continued to speak. "It won't be easy," he said, turning to watch the backdrop where the scene of Fuuma transforming kept repeating. "If you don't leave this dream, nothing will begin and nothing will end. Things will only get worse."

Kamui seemed to come awake, and suddenly he snapped to attention. "Where are we?"

Subaru knew that now, more than ever, he had to speak carefully. "Something heart-breaking happened... You chose not to stay in the Real World to consider and choose your next path. You... ran away from reality." He turned his green eyes onto Kamui. "We're at the bottom of your heart, and only you can climb out of it."

"Why… Are you here?"

Subaru paused a bit to consider how he would answer. "At first, it was because it was my duty. I'm a Seal, one of the Dragons of Heaven, and its my destiny to stand by your side. But," Subaru couldn't stop himself from blushing a bit as he gathered his courage to say what he had to. "I think I could care for you greatly. I see you, Kamui, You're a person, not an ideal. Don't let anyone tell you differently. What you care about, what you want to do, it's all important, don't forget that."

Kamui listened intently, his wide eyes taking in Subaru's earnestness. He edged a bit closer to Subaru. "But it hurts," he said pitifully.

Subaru nodded. "Yes, living hurts, but if you stay here, you can't change anything."

"If I return, will I be able to get Fuuma back?"

Subaru braced himself. Here in the place that was Kamui's heart, only the truth would do. "I don't know that. But you can only try. Do you really want him back?"

Kamui tipped his head up and down.

"Even if he regrets the death of his sister?" Subaru pressed. He wanted Kamui to be aware of all the consequences of his action.

"Yes, even so. Even if I have to lie to him."

"Then come back with me." Subaru shivered suddenly, pain lancing through him and he half collapsed at Kamui's feet. He knew that out in the real world, his body was taking the brunt of the backlash.

"Subaru!" Kamui exclaimed, frightened. He bent forward and gathered Subaru into his arms, clinging to him. "Don't leave me!"

Subaru gave him a smile. "This is your heart, Kamui. You need to choose… your Wish to return Fuuma is powerful… but you will know pain. Choose, Kamui…To continue living inside your memories blaming yourself. Or to awaken for the sake of your Wish." He smiled, and held onto the boy. "If you awaken, I will be beside you, with your fellow Seals. We will do our best to make your Wish become the new reality…"

"I want to bring Fuuma back. .. Because... I couldn't protect... Kotori... I want to protect Fuuma more than ever," Kamui said, holding onto Subaru tightly.

Subaru rocked the child back and forth for a moment, then took his shoulders in his white-gloved hands. "Then. For the sake of that Wish… Come back," he whispered.

Around them both, the landscape shattered, and Subaru was thrown out of Kamui's heart as Kamui made his decision, the second momentous one that evening.

Consciousness slowly seeped back to Subaru. Soft. He was lying on something very soft. Blinking, he raised his head to meet concerned stares. He smiled serenely, his face transformed for a moment into angelic perfection. A stirring beneath him caught his attention.

Kamui was opening his eyes. For an intense moment that seemed to stretch on for eternity, the two Dragons of Heaven looked at each other, in perfect understanding. Kamui lifted a hand to touch Subaru's cheek as if unsure that the person before him was real. Subaru smiled, trying to assure him that he wasn't going anywhere. He knew Kamui had suffered enough loss for now. If he could stay and be a comfort to his leader, then he'd do his best.

Despite all his good intentions, his physical body could only take so much. A wave of dizziness stuck Subaru as the sakanagi descended on him in full force. All he was able to do was gasp "I'm sorry!" before collapsing atop the injured teenager. Just as he lost consciousness, he dimly felt Kamui's arms encircling him, a tentative hand clasping the back of his head. A soft whisper from Kamui's lips "Thank you, Subaru," was the last sound he heard before the darkness took him.

* * *

He liked to watched the birds. 

Kakyou sat on the floor, his legs folded beneath him as he watched the birds outside his window. The bars on it obscured his view somewhat, but he could still see them fluttering about, and he knew more about them then most. He's taken to watching an avian specialist's dreams when he was younger, out of his curiosity for them.

He was awake, which was rare for him. He tended to sleep near eighteen hours a day, preferring the escape of his dreams from the reality of his life. He hated how he was a tool, to be used by the ones who should have loved him best. He hated the helpless feeling he got as he viewed the future, knowing he was powerless to change it.

His delicate hands clenched, remembering the feeling as the girl slipped away. He had tried to help there, but in the end had only revealed his existence to the Dark Kamui.

What had she said? The future can be changed… such naïve innocence. He wanted so badly to believe in her dying words to him, but even now he was waiting for the inevitable hand of destiny to take him within its grasps.

Even so, Kakyou couldn't regret it. It was change, and he'd enough of the unchanging tedium of his life. If it weren't for Hokuto... There he stopped, ambivalent feelings lancing through him at the thought of her name. She was his light, the only thing brightening his life, yet now, he was going to be mixed up in a fate that would only distress her.

The pretty thrush twittered outside his window. Kakyou was filled with envy for the bird. It knew nothing about the end of the world, nothing of being locked away, as if it were an object to be ashamed of, only to be brought out and paraded when monetary incentive was applied. He cursed at his 'talent,' and wished heartily for something much more useful. Why couldn't he have more proactive abilities?

A loud explosion shocked Kakyou from his reverie. He craned his neck out the window, trying to catch a glimpse for what was going on. Shouts and sounds of gunfire drifted up to him. He frowned, wondering if the black suited men guarding him would be capable of stopping the person who was coming for him.

Then he laughed inside, since he knew who was there. The chances of this being avoided were nil. He was going to be taken, and it was going to be now. And a part of him, a small part, reveled a bit in the fact that the intruder would cause absolute havoc for his family. For the ones who had been so cruel.

His lips twisted in a smile, and he turned to the birds at the window. "Sayonara," he said softly. "Thank you for being my friends. I'm going to be going somewhere else soon."

"Kakyou!" his mother said, and she rushed into the room, moving as fast as her restrictive clothing would allow her. "We need to move you!"

He turned his face to her, a slight smile playing on his lips. "Don't bother. He's here," Kakyou informed her gently.

His mother's eyes narrowed. "You knew about this, yet you didn't warn us?" she accused.

"Fate has a way of making sure things turn out the way it wants, telling you would have made no difference," he replied obliquely. He couldn't fault her for her care of him, though never once had he truly felt any affection from her. He wondered if it was just his mother who was like this, or if all women became that way. He shook his head – no, Hokuto-chan would never be like his mother, of that he was certain.

"Kakyou!" she exclaimed shocked. "Your father and I will not lose you, especially not to some madman. Come." She reached out her hand imperiously, used as she was to him obeying her.

Kakyou shook his head and backed away. "I think you should leave. The one coming is the Kamui. I don't want you to get hurt, please," he informed her. He thought this might be the very last time he ever spoke to her, and was a little astonished by how little that saddened him.

"He's not going with you," a confident and smooth voice said.

"You're late. It took you quite a while to get through those guards," Kakyou replied in a flat voice. His stomach was clenched with fear and anticipation, and he didn't know what to do. It was all he could manage to maintain his usual blasé attitude. He was finally being pulled into the events of life, and his hands shivered with excitement. He'd finally lay his real eyes on the Dark Kamui, instead of those of his dream self.

The Dark Kamui laughed, and then Monou Fuuma stepped into the room's dim light.

Kakyou hadn't expected him to be so young. He'd seen the face before many times, and he'd known, intellectually, that Fuuma was only in high school, but confronting him in real life made all the difference. His face was strong and sculpted, and his eyes gleamed with intelligence and wit, but there was a darkness under it. Ruthlessness. And above all, that deceptive youth…

_Oh, we are fortune's fools,_ Kakyou thought bitterly. "Hello, Fuuma."

"I am Kamui," Fuuma said, with the air of one getting used to repeating himself.

Kakyou bowed his head in acknowledgment of the fact. Now that the crunch had come, he was surprisingly reluctant to go off with this young man. He shifted about a bit, unconsciously edging away. After all, he had never known what the world was like outside and he was afraid. He also didn't like the intensity of the stare that Fuuma was directing at him.

As if sensing Kakyou's unwillingness, Fuuma reached forward and grabbed his arm firmly. Pulling him up against his body, he said, "Come, weave your dreams for me and in return I will gift you with a part of your Wish," he murmured into Kakyou's ear.

"My Wish?" Kakyou shivered. It wasn't the young man that frightened him, it that something else in him, an inexorable power that was directing him. If this was fate, how could he resist? He would be swept away like chaff from wheat in a strong wind.

"I am the music maker - you are the dreamer of dreams. Together we shall reshape this world into the form it should be."

"Get away from him!" Kakyou's mother snapped. She had been frozen at the appearance of the stranger who had managed to get through the state-of-the-art defenses they had in place, but seeing her son, the golden goose, about to be taken away managed to shake her out of her shock.

Fuuma stepped towards her, though he retained a tight grip on Kakyou's hand. "I See your Wish are well… and it's such a petty thing. How could a mother lock her own son up for over twenty years, just for wealth?" he wondered. "It's people like you who make the Earth cry the loudest."

Kakyou's mother stumbled back, cowering. She turned beseeching eyes at her son. "Kakyou..."

Kakyou looked down, then softly he said, "Please don't hurt her."

Fuuma bent his head to examine him. For a moment he considered the yumemi, standing so pliantly in his grasp. "Well, if that's what you want," he said soberly. Turning to Kakyou's mother, he told her, "You're very fortunate. Your son seems to have some feeling for you after all."

Kakyou stared at the woman who had given birth to him. "No. Not at all… it's just that in the next few months, we'll see more than enough death and destruction. Why start with such an unnecessary life?" he asked.

Fuuma smirked a bit. "Indeed. We'll start with style… if you tell me how."

Kakyou shut his eyes. "You already know I will. I, like you, have no choice in the role I'm going to play." He snapped his sharp eyes to Fuuma's face. "But you promise you'll grant my Wish?"

"After the final battle, Kakyou, you will be free," Fuuma promised. "One way or another, you will be free. As for the other part? Well, that I'll get to work on right away."


End file.
